The Academy’s Guide to Useless Students – Chapter 20

I gathered the Dark Stone and wondered if there might be other loot left behind. As expected, there was nothing remaining in the Hell of No Intervals. A bit disappointing, but since I had acquired an SSS-grade material, I decided to coolly forget about it.

“Master, you’re the best!”

“Why are you suddenly like this?”

Anastasia unexpectedly snorted and clung to me.

Is this woman out of her mind?

There are two things I absolutely detest.

One is sexual harassment.

The other is women who barge in with their chests first.

Do they think that’s enough just because they’re women?

Alpha males like me are not swayed by charms.

“Master, why do you suddenly have such a stern expression? It doesn’t suit you.”

“More importantly, please take out the artifact I requested.”

“Oh, you mean the Magic Amplifier?”

The naming contains the setting’s origin. I can think of it as a device that casually amplifies magical power due to its annoyance.

However, it doesn’t just amplify. The amplification maximizes based on relative energy. For example, just as the numbers are measured as you step on a scale. If a higher-quality magical item is placed on it, the efficiency increases.

“Here it is, Master. Since it’s a high-priced item, please handle it with care.”

Is she not easing up on the tension?

This character just keeps evolving day by day. I ignored her and placed the ‘Dark Stone’ on the Magic Amplifier.

Then I added the broken ‘Insight’s Blade’ and ‘Soul of the Swordsman.’

‘Done…’

Why am I feeling tense about this?

The success rate is 95%.

Unless some nonsensical fluke happens, there’s no way I could fail.

[ Activating Magic Amplifier. ]

[ Amplifying magical power. ]

[ Generating results… ]

[ 1.3% chance success. ]

What the hell?

Wait a minute.

Success rate is 95%.

The failure rate was 3.7%.

So, 1.3% can’t possibly mean…

[ You have gained great fortune! ]

[ A secret that will bring about an upheaval in the world has been born! ]

This is insane.

This is a jackpot.

I’ve never even hit anything like this in a game.

[ Legendary item ‘Insight’s Blade’ ]

[ Acquired exclusive weapon. ]

[ Ownership will not be revoked as long as the owner’s life remains. ]

Legendary item ‘Insight’s Blade.’

It sounds a bit wrong, but it was undoubtedly the ultimate item. As I attempted to read the detailed description, a sudden dizziness hit me, almost making me lose consciousness.

[ Warning, an anomaly is occurring within the body. ]

Damn it. It seemed like it was too quiet for no reason.

Is it true that overwhelming power comes with restrictions?

[ The ‘Ego’ contained in ‘Insight’s Blade’ is initiating the owner’s ‘sleep.’ ]

[ The ‘Ego’ contained in ‘Insight’s Blade’ is worrying about the owner. ]

‘Huh?’

It doesn’t seem to be a penalty.

It looks like something contained within the legendary item is acting on its own.

For a weapon, this is crossing the line, isn’t it?

I barely managed to open my mouth just before collapsing.

“Call… my rear…”

That was the last fragment of my consciousness.

“Oh my Master! Wake up, please! What if you faint here! You damn idiot!”

Anastasia’s cries didn’t reach Yuto. He was so deep in sleep that even the harshest insults didn’t stir him.

“This is really troublesome. What if those guys from earlier come back…”

Anastasia trembled, clutching her delicate shoulders, overwhelmed with worry.

I need some kind of solution…

Then I remembered. Just before Yuto fell asleep, he mentioned his rear.

“Call… was what he said.”

Immediately, I reached into Yuto’s back pocket and grabbed something round.

“A pocket watch?”

The gold-plated pocket watch wasn’t ticking. There were no buttons. As I tilted my head at its strange shape, a crucial phrase caught my eye in Anastasia’s feelings.

[ Calling the contracted one. ]

“Contracted one? Calling?”

I knew it was a calling item, but who on earth was he calling?

But it had to be someone on our side; there was no doubt about it.

As soon as I activated the calling item, a bright thread of light spread out like a line. The light vanished around the corner, almost as if guiding me.

“But we’re in Pandora’s Labyrinth. Only someone really powerful could get in here, right?”

Twitch.

Anastasia chewed her nails in anxiety. She was already close to being a mess. It felt like she could collapse and fall asleep at any moment. But she couldn’t afford to do that. Now that Yuto was asleep, she had to keep her wits about her. If something were to jump out, blinding it with a flash was her only option.

Somehow, she decided to hang on. Anastasia pinched her thigh and swallowed her tears.

“Damn…damn… How did I end up like this… What the hell… I’m an idiot… a fool… I should just die…”

A prayer unfit for a priest.

Soon enough, multiple presences were approaching them.

“Are they ants…? There seem to be quite a few of them?”

This wasn’t good. The way they were gathering resembled a desperate fleeing army.

What were they running from?

What was going on?

What kind of ruckus is this!

So scary.

Anastasia curled up in fear and hid into Yuto’s arms.

“Damn… please wake up. Please, Yuto. Please… Ugh, you bastard. Wake up.”

Leaving that desperation behind, Yuto continued to savor his dreams. Before long, the source of the presences turned the corner and appeared.

“Whoo!”

It really was an army of ants.

But their behavior was odd.

They didn’t seem to be here to attack; they looked like they were scrambling in panic. Soon, Anastasia realized the reason for the ants’ flight.

Crunch!

The gang that rounded the corner was wiping out the ants as they entered their nest. The largest and strongest-looking man among them was approaching with a mace in hand.

“Uh, excuse me… who are you…?”

“I heard the call of my master.”

“Excuse me?”

“There. The one lying down. He is my master.”

“Huh?!”

Anastasia’s ears were closed off.

She was caught in a wave of extreme fear, locked away in her own world.

Of course, the group exuded a dangerously menacing vibe. Having traversed the underworld for an extended period, she recognized the smell of blood and flesh. They carried that sort of scent.

“Wait… you’re Wangcho?”

“Hmm. You know me?”

“No… no. I think maybe I saw something like a wanted poster while passing by.”

That was a lie.

Wangcho was indeed on her list of smugglers. She had a habit of color-coding according to the risk of a deal.

Suckers were green, decent ones who could trade were orange, and red was for outright avoid-at-all-cost categorized targets.

‘Crazy, Wangcho is the leader of Zone 4? Why would those massacre warriors come here, where the Empire wouldn’t dare touch them…’

As Anastasia’s turmoil deepened, Wangcho was getting closer.

He was definitely approaching her.

Though she had to avoid contact with the blacklist, she was undoubtedly in a perilous situation.

There was a chance that revealing her identity and trying to negotiate might allow her to survive.

‘It can’t be helped; if I want to live, I have no other choice.’

Rustle.

“Hmm?”

Just as she was caught in conflict, Wangcho lifted Yuto over his shoulder and prepared to leave with his crew.

“Wait a minute!”

“What is it?”

“Yuto… where are you taking my Master?!”

“My master summoned me. Seeing him asleep, I assume he ordered me to take him away. Or was there a different message conveyed?”

“Wait a minute. The ‘master’ you mean… is it referring to my Master?!”

“That’s correct. He is my only master.”

Anastasia gave up trying to think. She had just begun to accept that this man, Yuto, was someone monumental. Hadn’t she done something terribly inappropriate to such a wonderful man? No point in asking questions; it was the truth.

“Hehe…”

“Wangcho, I think this girl has lost it.”

“Treat her with courtesy. She is the companion who was with my master.”

“Then I’ll use that for a change.”

The litter that Wangcho’s crew pulled up came to a stop in front of her. Skulls and bones decorated everywhere, forming shapes that reminded one of a reaper.

“Alright, miss! The Reaper’s Number One is departing!”

Creak creak.

The litter began to move.

Anastasia melted down inside it, bursting into tears.

She had no choice but to submit to a reality that was unbearable to accept.