The Academy’s Guide to Useless Students – Chapter 52

I finished my training with Gushion and stepped out of the room to rejoin my party. Returning to the hallway where we had initially separated, I found Teresa and her gang discussing their disappointment with weary expressions.

“There were no treasures, let alone antiques…”

“Same here. I’m more disappointed than I was hopeful.”

Colonel Margaret and Sergeant Wendy were chatting casually. Had it not been for me, they would probably still be wandering in the maze Gushion prepared until they dropped.

“Don’t be discouraged, both of you. If we’re near the Ice Dragon, there’s bound to be some treasure around.”

Unlike them, Teresa was comforting both of them while sneaking a glance my way. She’s quite perceptive. Even if she doesn’t know the exact details, it seemed she had caught onto the fact that something significant had happened.

“What about Yuto? He doesn’t seem empty-handed.”

“Yes, looks like I got lucky with a prize.”

“A prize?”

Everyone’s reactions began to stir as they noticed the ‘Gushion’s Head’ I held in my hand. Among them, Laura Freeze’s complexion turned pale as she started pointing at me.

“Yuto… do you even know what that is?”

“Of course. I know what it is, that’s why I caught it.”

“Captured…?”

Laura’s face seemed to bristle with things she wanted to say, but she clamped her mouth shut. If it were just the two of us, she would have been asking questions left and right. But with so many ears around, that was out of the question.

Being a reincarnator, she must have recognized the unique aura of powerful demons immediately.

“Taking down the Ice Dragon, which is deemed invulnerable, starts with capturing ‘this’.”

“I don’t know what you’re basing that on, but blindly trusting a demon is foolish.”

“This one is different. You know Gushion is a demon that tells the truth, right, Laura?”

“Knowing that doesn’t change anything! Those fiends wouldn’t grant powers to a human without some cost.”

That’s a fair point. But since I’ve long since paid that price, it was no longer a concern.

“I handled the cost through training.”

“Training…?”

Laura’s pale face went paler when she saw the ‘Insight’s Blade’ hanging from my waist, and she swallowed hard.

“Curious, are you?”

“No, I’ll pass.”

“What a shame.”

“…”

Just as I thought the conversation was wrapping up, Teresa’s group was watching with curious eyes. I had to explain enough to avoid any unnecessary suspicions.

I lifted Gushion’s head to match their eye level.

“This is the head of a high-ranking demon.”

“Yuto, are you asking me to believe that? I know they are beings with powers stronger than the Ice Dragon. Why on earth would a ‘calamity’ recorded in history be found in such an unexplored dungeon? Especially in such an unnatural state…”

It indeed looked ridiculous, just a head dangling like that. However, the fact that high-ranking demons are called calamities is an undeniable truth.

Great demons are said to obliterate entire continents with their might, while high-ranking demons are assessed as capable of turning a whole nation into ruins. It was no different from the lore inside a game.

Even though right now, it seemed like it was just a disposable item stuck to me.

“Wasn’t it in a weakened state? It didn’t start off fully intact, after all.”

“That makes sense… then you might have been able to capture it.”

It was a plausible excuse since I had already boasted of my strength earlier. I decided not to waste any time and push forward with the expedition. We were now close to the Ice Dragon’s boss room.

Now that I had acquired Gushion’s detection device, as long as Laura performed well, we wouldn’t face any obstacles in achieving our objectives. The real question was whether her mental state would hold up.

“Why?”

“Never mind.”

“You don’t have to look at me like that. I know I need to perform well.”

Maybe she picked up on it a bit more than before? Laura took a deep, steadying breath, trying to calm herself.

“Just in case…”

“What is it?”

“If I happen to fail, don’t hesitate to step in. You can do that much, right?”

Her face was serious. It was a unique and complicated route for Laura to obtain a new bond, akin to an experience from the afterlife.

If we manage to take down the Ice Dragon, the [Bronze Will’s Soul] inside would search for its next host, and that process would lead Laura to be selected, putting her through a grueling trial.

Laura Freeze would confront an unexpected trial, tasting the agony of having all her past experiences and ideologies shattered into pieces.

Perhaps that was the moment Laura Freeze’s ‘personality’ changed.

However, it raised a question. If this reincarnator were to experience that trial again, would her ‘personality’ change once more? Would she awaken in a form different from the current one…?

“It’s just an experience, after all.”

It was like a memory of a summer night’s dream that passes without any real substance. I didn’t think it would differ that much from the first. After all, she had lived through her own long years before reincarnation.

I believed her mental fortitude had become stronger than before.

“Why am I getting anxious for no reason? Now I’m anxious too.”

I wanted to shove her along and tell her to stop sulking, but I was the only one holding the key to uncovering the Ice Dragon’s weaknesses. So, I approached the door at the end of the corridor.

“Is this where the dragon is sleeping?”

“From the immense pressure coming from inside, it must be.”

I glanced around to confirm they were ready and then opened the door. The sound of metal scraping against metal rang out, and a cold mist overwhelmed my field of vision.

—Growl…

I thought it would be asleep, but it seems I was wrong. I quietly leaned in toward Gushion’s head and whispered.

“It’s time to work.”

There was no response. Indeed, these things only showed their training results when the switch was flipped.

Crackle!

With the sound of charged energy from the Insight’s Blade, the hair on Gushion’s head stood up.

[ You… I will repay this humiliation in double at some point. ]

“It’s a shame for you to say something like a third-rate villain; you’re too capable for that.”

[ You’re speaking in a very hard-to-understand way again… but, fine. What do you want to ask me? ]

“I know you know. Please tell me where the Ice Dragon’s weakness is.”

[ Tch… You’re quite greedy, wanting something for nothing. ]

Well, without this, hunting the Ice Dragon would be a troublesome task. The constantly renewing random weakness traits were a frustrating element even in the game.

But I also couldn’t avoid the Ice Dragon; it was part of the main quest…

[ Fine. Listen carefully. The Ice Dragon’s weaknesses are the Achilles heel behind its heel and the blue scales on the sixth joint of its tail. Either one would spell its end with your strike. Is that enough? ]

Received and noted. I immediately gripped the Insight’s Blade and dove into the mist. It was so white and dense that I couldn’t see even in front of my nose, leaving the rest of the party frozen in place, guarding their spots.

“Everyone stay put! When I give the signal, Laura will be the one to step forward!”

Clank.

Laura, understanding my meaning, grasped her weapon tightly. I began to glide downwards toward the Ice Dragon, whose outline was slowly revealing itself. I charged straight for its Achilles heel with a vertical slash.

Following that, I swung my sword toward the sixth joint of its tail, where the blue scales were visible.

Swipe!

Clang!

As the completely sliced-off blue scales hit the ground, the Ice Dragon’s body rapidly froze over. Soon after, a cheery cry rang out, and the illusory form of the dragon was stripped bare.

Inside it, the [Bronze Will’s Soul] began to flicker, searching angrily for its next host.

“Laura, now’s your chance!”

I passed the cue to Laura. It was now her turn to take the baton. Soon, she emerged through the mist, revealing herself in the light emitted by the [Soul].

Whether one likes it or not, the moment for our main character to awaken was coming closer. Just as I was about to savor the moment in excitement… I felt a lightness at my waist.

“Huh, what the hell?”

In that brief moment of realization, a bizarre phenomenon occurred where the Insight’s Blade fused with the [Bronze Will’s Soul].

Both Laura and I could do nothing but stare at it blankly.

Before long, the blinding light faded, and ‘it’ revealed itself.