The Academy’s Ankle Reaper – Chapter 366

After finishing the story about Typhon in the forest, I was trying to decide what to do next.

Anyway, the most important thing right now is to recover fully as quickly as possible.

Even though I’ve got a bomb inside me, I don’t have everything that lies below the earth brought back.

If it’s just a residual amount left in my body, then my fully prepared self should be able to handle it without any problems.

What feels hard right now is undoubtedly just because I’m not in good condition.

Once I recover quickly, maybe I could go to a place with good air and water and recuperate hard enough to make it all mine?

‘Just like I used to, if I hole up in Blade Mountain… I should manage somehow.’

Back when I was weak beyond comparison (in my 10-year-old expert mid-level days), I still managed to absorb all sorts of monster essences running wild inside me.

To think that gauging Typhon, who’s called the father of all monsters, is just from having consumed the essences of the monsters and spirits… I could just imagine Hydra foaming at the mouth if she heard about this, but what can I do?

All three monsters, said to be the most loyal children of Typhon, got smashed by me anyway.

‘I underestimated those three children, but it couldn’t have been more ridiculous.’

Honestly, I didn’t think Typhon would be particularly strong compared to dragons or other monsters at all.

I thought maybe they’d amount to the strength of all three combined, but this is a bottomless pit of a difference.

How on earth did they catch something like that in ancient times?

“Well then, since I’ve taken care of everything, I should be going.”

[It doesn’t seem like you’re thinking of going back. Where do you intend to head this time?]

After sorting out my thoughts and getting up from my seat, Leah, who was about to fall back asleep, asked the question.

The destination was already decided in my mind.

I had to think about which place I should visit first, though.

She’d probably be furious for coming late at night, but what can I do about that?

“I killed that Leviathan, so isn’t it reasonable to claim the ownership of the by-products?”

Right now, the only person who can keep the investigators in check at the Academy is my Master.

Since I can’t do anything about my Master for the moment, they surely won’t touch me directly, but those investigators will definitely turn their eyes to those around me if they can’t touch the main person.

The reason the investigators are focusing all their attention on me is simple.

They don’t know the identity of the Shadow, so they can’t ask, and among those involved with Leviathan, I’d be the most suspicious one.

Then let’s shake things up.

When the sun rises, I’ll make it so they can’t think about anything other than investigating Leviathan.

After all, the investigators are just public servants.

If they act according to protocol, I can set up a situation where they can’t move recklessly. If they verify all the influx of information like hail, time will fly by in no time.

If they want to, they could go ahead and try to become someone who can stick it directly to the top of their heads, just like me.

————————————

The next day, as soon as morning broke, the investigators headed to the scene to faithfully fulfill their assigned duties.

Upon examining a small sample of contaminated seawater they had collected, they found it to be infused with a dreadful magical essence, causing the creatures living inside to undergo strange transformations, and warned that if left unchecked, this nearby sea would be beyond saving.

Investigators who arrived on the scene to check for any overnight changes doubted their eyes.

“What… the…!!”

A huge crowd had gathered at the port.

It wasn’t just that they were working; people were entangled together, raising their voices and even fighting.

And in the process, the site that needed to be preserved was being severely damaged, which enraged the investigators.

“You lot!!! Who the hell are you to recklessly demolish this place?!”

“Ugh??”

Shoving aside a worker in very rugged work clothes, the investigators slipped into the center of the fray where voices were being raised.

From this vantage point, it was clear that it wasn’t just a tangled mess of people.

On one side were typical laborers, while on the other, people in robes looked like they belonged to the Magic Tower.

Guild and Magic Tower? What the heck are those two doing here?

“Do you have any idea how important this is!!”

“What about you? Are you here to disrupt our work?!”

“What?!”

Although Investigator Albert had come bearing the Emperor’s imposing command, to them, he was just an uninvited guest disrupting their work.

The man who seemed to be the representative of the Guild, with arms that could lift 150 kg easily, shoved Albert back into the crowd and began squabbling again with the person who appeared to be the representative of the Magic Tower.

“How are you guys, who can only use your bodies, going to handle such precious materials? Don’t try to spoil it and get lost!!”

“What, are you saying you’re going to roughly transport materials and get them contaminated with magic?!”

In a situation where they were staring daggers at each other and hurling insults, a few timid voices trying to make their case caught Albert’s attention.

“Brothers… this won’t end well if it continues like this.”

It was a bishop dressed in formal attire accompanied by holy knights.

It seemed they might be able to communicate with those over there since they weren’t hurling insults.

Just not cursing left a considerable bonus in Albert’s view.

“… Bishop? You seem like you can have a conversation. I’m Investigator Albert, dispatched from the Empire. Just what is going on here?”

“Ah… Indeed. I also came only at His Grace’s command, but it has already turned into this.”

“His Grace’s command…?”

If the bishop referred to “His Grace,” that meant it was the order from the Pope who governs the Church Country.

Given that the sea was heavily contaminated with magic, I’d thank them for being here.

However, I had intended to formally request support from this side, yet they barged in without following any due processes. Is that okay?

“Yes. While the Academy managed to fend off the Great Demon Leviathan, the damage was severe, so you were asked to assist with recovery.”

Now that I think about it, this situation felt fundamentally strange.

These people, who hadn’t shown their faces until yesterday, where on earth did they come from?

“So… in the morning, they swarmed in, and you didn’t receive any prior communication either?”

“I’m just as baffled as you are about all of this.”

As Albert left the chaotic port behind, he sought out the person in charge, Gordon, to hear what had transpired that morning.

“There was a ‘notification’ sent from the Magic Tower and Guild at the break of dawn, and shortly after, they arrived via teleportation.”

“I see…”

“But under those circumstances, couldn’t you have refused? The Academy’s barrier should have been capable of blocking unwanted teleportation.”

“Firstly, that function of the barrier isn’t operational right now. It’s still under repair.”

Upon hearing that, Albert realized the Academy’s barrier was broken, leaving them defenseless.

Still, the fact that Gordon, the Principal, had permitted them to teleport here so readily was hard to believe.

In general, a large-scale teleportation of that magnitude would always have precursor phenomena. Given Gordon’s skills as an archmage, he could have prevented their entry.

“So is there some compelling reason you couldn’t chase them away?”

“…”

Gordon pondered for a moment before speaking with difficulty.

“All three received word from the Shadow and sent people.”

“The Shadow directed them, you say?”

Albert held his forehead at the Principal’s words.

The faceless ‘Master’ Shadow.

An entity that follows only the Emperor’s orders and eliminates threats to the Empire from the shadows.

It was known that Leviathan was directly dealt with by the Shadow.

Did the Shadow personally summon them?

If the Shadow called them over, it would indeed put Gordon in a rather awkward position.

How could he refuse when the one who protected the Academy from the Great Demon claimed the rights of a hunter and sent over these operators?

In typical circumstances, the Academy would have somehow dealt with it, but given that the entire barrier had been shattered, they were barely holding their ground.

If someone were to offer to clear the annoyances, he may well have felt a bit relieved.

“Is it really true that they came because the Shadow summoned them? You’re not being deceived, right?”

But Albert was skeptical.

The Shadow was famously known for their thoroughness in keeping themselves hidden.

That Shadow supposedly created such a ruckus?

“The Church Country is claiming to have received His Grace’s command, and the Magic Tower is saying the Archmage said it, but they are not people who would easily lie.”

Though verification wasn’t possible, the credibility of those who spoke was too high.

Just like the Shadow, both the Archmage and the Pope representing the Church Country had reached a level of mastery.

“What… well, still, don’t take it too negatively. Wouldn’t this end up being beneficial for you as well?”

“Are you saying I should be grateful when those people stomped all over the mission I was assigned?”

“Your mission was ultimately to confirm if the corpse floating in the sea was truly Leviathan… Since they have proclaimed themselves as Leviathan, hasn’t your mission already been accomplished?”

When Gordon hit the nail right on the head, Albert’s expression darkened.