Episode 51. Rain (3)
There was a reason why the main characters were unharmed by the waves of magical energy emitted by the gumiho. It was because they had immunity or a means to block it.
Like Crona and Mary, the contract spirits have a habit of eating magic if they are lucky.
Or someone with the ultimate ability to freeze even magic, like Jenny.
Or, like Refrain, they have a special relic on their body that counteracts magic.
Or, like Bayman, always carry around a magical tool that automatically blocks magic.
Or… maybe the Millennium Tiger genes embedded in her body, like Ruska’s, automatically protected her.
At first, I had no solution, but I was able to solve it by absorbing Muto.
For other cadets, if they are of the spirit master or priest lineage, they may be able to maintain their wits, but it would be impossible to stand up.
Even if you stand up, it is impossible to subdue the nine-tailed fox.
The only good thing is that the current nine-tailed fox is imperfect. It is a pitiful level compared to the power of the original divine beast that rivals that of a dragon, but it is not something that a mere cadet can fight against.
The last five lycanthropes were seen as cute.
As time goes by, the gumiho gradually recharges her strength.
Enviel supplies volcanic energy from the top of Mount Purgatory, and when it is fully charged, it will truly transform into the worst divine beast.
The research on Mount Purgatory that Enviel conducted when he came to the Academy was also all for this purpose. It was a plan to overthrow the country under the pretext of researching energy detected from the volcano.
That doesn’t mean there’s no way to stop the plan.
As I said before, the nine-tailed fox is still partially awakened. If the cadets who are moving now join forces, they will be able to tie up her ankles.
And if you turn the nine-tailed fox back into Angela, it’s all over. The only one who can do that is Ruska Mad-Eye, who inherited the same blood.
“Stop it, you idiot!”
Jenny held a sword with a murderous aura.
With just a light stir, it tears apart raindrops and air. It is trying to swing its powerful skill at Ruska, which has given up on things like strength control.
I swung Leviathan and shot out a fishing line to tie her arms. Jenny, whose anger was interrupted, looked back at me more fiercely… but when she realized it was me, she was very surprised.
“Radon! How did you get here… And how are you okay? Didn’t you faint like the others?”
“That’s true. I have introspection, you know.”
He seemed relieved to find out that it was me, wondering who on earth was bothering him. He felt relieved because he had another friend who hadn’t passed out.
But then he put on a fierce expression and spoke like a tiger, looking at the fishing line.
“Radon, release me now. I can’t forgive this kid.”
“I know that things aren’t going well between you two. But no matter how much I can’t forgive you, is it okay for fellow students to fight each other in these times?”
“A cadet… Radon, you seem to know nothing. This guy is also one of the main culprits who created this situation. Even if you bear it, there is no legal problem.”
We can’t say that Jenny’s words are completely wrong. Since there is evidence of her involvement with Enviel, she cannot avoid punishment.
Leorio and Bayman, who were listening from the side, also nodded in agreement.
Mary just leaned against the alley wall and watched the situation silently. She was very calm about such things.
They would have heard everything from Enviel. Starting with the reason Ruska entered the academy… and even the relationship between Ruska and Angela.
However, Ruska, who was involved in this incident, was never forgiven.
“Think about it carefully, Jenny. Right now, we need at least one more person to stop the fox monster. Ruska is also a cadet who was lucky enough to survive without fainting.”
“You want me to join hands with this guy? The guy who used Angela as a tool for revenge… and even put Crona in danger?”
Jenny wasn’t the type to back down so easily. She was still looking at Ruska as if she was going to cut him down right now.
Of course, Ruska is a warrior race that inherited a piece of the Millennium Tiger. Thanks to that blessed body, she can withstand a single skill hit… but at the very least, she’ll be seriously injured.
Then, you will not be able to participate in the Gumiho subjugation battle, and you will lose Ruska, the only one who can stop the Gumiho. Then, you will face the bad ending where the entire Alighieri Town will be blown away.
“If it’s Crona, he’s safe.”
“what?”
Here, I needed to appease Jenny’s anger. Originally, lying suited me better than telling the truth, but now was not the time to satisfy my selfish desires.
“If you exit the Alligieri Tower and go straight east, you will come across a hut. Krona is there.”
“Is that true? How can you be sure?”
“Do you remember when I started the race before you guys?”
“(Snap!)”
Jenny’s head turned red. She must have remembered me saying, “Goodbye, everyone~”. Honestly, I would have been pretty pissed if it happened to me.
“I arrived at the tower before you guys and was capturing the spirit. I went east to capture the fleeing spirit and met Crona and Ruska. And I was able to hear everything Ruska wanted to know.”
The erosion rate did not decrease because the tracking of the spirit was correct.
I told Crona how he had been the days before the exam. Even the fact that Ruska had saved Crona from being defeated by Enviel.
“Is that true? But no matter how much I think about it, I can’t believe it. No, what should I say… I don’t understand anything!”
To be honest, it was complicated for Jenny. The guy who kidnapped Angela and didn’t care about the means and methods for his revenge ended up saving Crona?
Unless you know the circumstances surrounding Ruska, you won’t understand it even if you rack your brain.
“Ask Crona for more details later. He’ll still be inside the cabin. Right, Ruska?”
“….”
Ruska was still sitting there in a daze. Despite using the rain-soaked floor as a cushion, she felt nothing.
Just by looking at the fact that he remained unresponsive even when threatened, you can guess how much he lost.
“What are you going to do from now on? Are you going to just get rained on and wait for us all to die together?”
Only after hearing those words did Ruska raise her head, creaking. There she saw the face of a boy named Radon Crowler.
The moment I saw him… all the anger that had been building up exploded.
Now there is no one to listen to him. Who will treat the sinner who created the nine-tailed fox and threw his own younger brother into the abyss like a human being?
But the boy in her wet vision seemed different. The boy who had been helping her for no reason, Radon Crowler.
“You know… what should I do now?”
Ruska asked me with reddened eyes. She looked like a lost, wandering young fox, or a candle placed in the rain.
A suicide bomb made to destroy the target of her revenge. The fact that it turned out to be her own brother was enough to render her helpless.
Losing the family he was supposed to protect was the starting point of his revenge, but he ended up abandoning his new family with his own hands.
“Answer me.”
He asks again, what should he do?
In the main story, Jenny’s anger was less than it is now, so I understand her feelings. She also lost her mother in a similar way.
But right now, it’s impossible to force Jenny to do it. I have no choice but to do it for her.
“I’ll answer you. But before that….”
“…??”
I grabbed Ruska’s whiskers while she was still unconscious.
Bam!─
… and then I pushed in with all my might.
“Black!”
As their heads collided, a sound like an alarm rang out. Although it was a groan, Ruska finally made a human-like sound.
I figured this would be a lot better than swinging my fist at the lady.
But it hurt more than I thought.
“Ouch, oh, oh, oh…!”
“Is radon okay?”
“It’s okay… Aya.”
I was the one who actually did the kick, but I ended up taking more damage. No wonder Jenny was so worried.
It was like being hit by a lump of iron. You might wonder what kind of girl has such a strong head, but Ruska is a member of the ‘Yoho Tribe’ and has a naturally strong body.
‘We’re not some kind of space monkey tribe.’
First of all, I showed off in front of her.
“Are you coming to your senses now, Ruska?”
“No, you’re the one with the bruise on your forehead….”
“What? I’m fine?”
“….”
[Erosion rate reduction: -10%]
[+1000 Credits]
Hmm… . As expected, it’s not convincing.
Eventually, Refrain healed the bruise with the power of the Holy Spirit, and I continued to speak.
“Anyway, I’m sure you know what to do and how to do it.”
“….”
“What made you desire revenge?”
The emptiness of losing the family she was supposed to protect. The resentment that arose from there is what made her who she is today.
Family, that is. He already knew what he longed for.
“It’s already too late. And now that I’ve come here, I can’t be with you….”
“Now? Oh, of course you did something that made me angry, but what you want to do right now is not to get in our way. If you just sit still like this, you’ll only end up regretting it even more.”
Foolishness, I have been feeling regretful about the things I have done so far. The biggest one is apologizing to Angela. At least, I can’t help but feel regretful about disappearing without ever being able to be a big sister.
“Listen to me carefully.”
I grabbed Ruska’s shoulder and looked at her head on, saying:
Her tearful face was innocent enough, considering her usually venomous expression.
“What did you really want to do? Aside from wandering around because of revenge, there must have been something else in your heart. Think about what you truly longed for.”
Ruska stared blankly at the boy’s face.
What on earth is this guy? He suddenly helps me and worries about me. He is even now the only one who understands me, and he is the one who calms down the angry kids.
I felt a great longing for him for some reason.
An energy I had never felt before, as my mother was taken away by the soldiers and was scolded by them before disappearing.
A helping hand extended by someone else. Even if you live alone and are forgotten in your mind, your body will never forget you.
Even after entering this land of learning, he was eventually destined to be lonely due to his twisted personality and purpose. There was no student who tried to understand him in the midst of malicious gossip and gossip.
Except for this guy, Radon Crawler.
Maybe that’s why. I unknowingly helped Radon.
“Can you… hold my hand?”
“….”
“Can you really trust and rely on someone like me?”
Will he be able to accept me when I’ve come to this point? Will he be able to hold my hand, which is already dirty with blood?
Then I looked back and said.
“What do you guys think?”
My opinion spread that punishment for Ruska should be considered after he survives.
Refrain said it didn’t matter if it was to prevent this situation, and Bayman said it was okay if it was for his research.
“Just this once.”
Mary turned her head, speaking firmly. And the last remaining person was… .
“Catch it.”
“…?”
She reached out to Ruska. As time passed, Jenny’s anger gradually subsided. Although it did not completely disappear, she was able to broaden her thoughts.
There was a time when he too lost his mother and gave up on himself. Fortunately, he was supported by the relics his mother left behind and his harmonious family.
Ruska went through something similar, but… there’s no guarantee that she’d grow up to be as good as I was.
‘Greenhouse-grown plants.’
This supported the hypothesis that the reason Ruska regarded herself that way was perhaps because she grew up in a harsh environment.
As my impulsive anger subsided, I had these thoughts. Aside from our different upbringings, I thought, “Aren’t they no different from me?”
Before I knew it, the rain had stopped.
Rays of light began to emerge from the gaps in the dark clouds. One of them became a light and began to shine on them.
The blue pendant hanging around Jenny’s neck glowed. The direct blue light illuminated the muffler that Ruska was wearing.
Even though it wasn’t bright, it seemed to welcome the warmth of others that it had missed.
Ruska looked. Jenny’s face, still with an expression that hadn’t yet been resolved, but holding out her hand to him.
Yeah, just this once is fine. Even if everything I’ve done so far goes down the drain… it doesn’t really matter, does it?
If only I could just stop this fucking obsession… .
Snap─
There was no reason not to hold that hand.
* * * * *
The gumiho’s head was filled with hatred.
She recalls her original memories that she had forgotten, and she is no longer Angela Whitegreen, but a monster nine-tailed fox.
The resentment of having lost his parents and being tortured by humans since birth.
There was nothing left for him. He had nothing to lose, so he had nothing to fear.
If this was going to happen, why on earth was I born? I hated the humans who created me so much.
The only thing left is revenge. If I can use this body as collateral to cause a butterfly effect that will destroy humanity, that would be great.
For example, resurrecting a demon.
For that, I will not hesitate to use any means necessary.
Even if it is the person who raised him, if he gets in his way, he will tear them apart without hesitation.
This life will end soon anyway. I don’t mind using it to avenge my parents.
however….
“What… I want to eat…!”
The nine-tailed fox’s limbs trembled. If she had the form of a monster, what else could she want to eat but humans? However, that was just a biased convention.
‘Blood? Liver? Meat? Ugh… No. Not all of them.’
That wasn’t what I really wanted to eat. It was something different. Something that had meat in it, but wasn’t that kind of thing as the main ingredient.
Perhaps my memories of my time as Angela have faded due to the effects of becoming a gumiho. I can’t quite remember its name.
It was definitely rice. It was round rice with something like meat inside.
‘But why, why do I keep thinking about food?’
An obsession with something that causes one to momentarily forget one’s original purpose.
It was difficult for her, as a child, to understand that it was a withdrawal symptom.
I had to pull myself together again. I didn’t have much time left anyway. When this was all over, I would just end up being useless impurities.
There’s no need to obsess over something you don’t even know English about.
Ssuk- I felt a movement. Someone was walking slowly towards me.
Not just one, but several. Only one of them approaches with a sarcastic attitude.
“Little kid. You’ve grown a lot since I last saw you?”
A boy holding a fishing rod… an unforgettable sight, approached me.
Surviving as an Academy Fraudster
