“…Upon confirmation, such an event occurred.”
“This is troublesome.”
Jezel sent someone to uncover the circumstances surrounding the mob’s fainting. The perpetrator took so long to report honestly due to immense embarrassment, but thanks to some trickery with points, Jezel managed to grasp the situation.
“Dobi has awakened to a rather unsettling fear-inducing ability strong enough to take down Sing, and Oknodie took the Goo Kraken without submitting it to the Student Council… Perhaps what we assumed to be immoral deeds may not have happened after all.”
Upon hearing Jezel’s words, Isabel and Son Ohchun, who had rushed over at the news that Oknodie was in serious trouble, looked at him discontentedly.
“So you’re saying we shouldn’t slice Dobi up with a meat cleaver?”
“Of course, we shouldn’t. Do you want to become the owner of a human butcher’s shop that demons frequent?”
“Why is that Numbnuts carrying around the Goo Kraken if he hasn’t been sexually exploited?”
“There’s a common legend about the sea. Though the terror above the water might be pirates known as the sea lawbreakers, the terror that approaches from below is the deep-sea giant monster, Kraken.”
Having spent several months with Oknodie and gaining a bit of understanding of him, Jezel came to the following conclusion.
“Dobi used fear-inducing. The little lady who carries the symbol of fear. This indicates some sort of trade took place.”
“What kind of trade?”
“Perhaps it involves kidnapping the fear’s master, the Kraken, to use as an experimental subject, trained in fear-inducing against higher beings, with Oknodie cooperating in exchange for Dobi pledging loyalty by sacrificing the power he gained.”
In fact, there were numerous reports confirming that Dobi had sworn loyalty to Oknodie. Dobi himself had been spreading rumors that he had established the Church of the End to serve Oknodie.
“Why does he need to do that while wrapped in a swimsuit?”
Yet, Jezel found himself at a loss for an answer to Isabel’s sharp question.
“That’s… something I cannot understand either.”
“Let me share my thoughts this time.”
Isabel interpreted the incident more simply.
“No matter what the reason is, there’s enough reason for Dobi to die at my hands. Let’s go smash him now.”
“Ha ha! I like that! Let’s do it right now!”
It seems we have doubled the number of simple-minded brutes here. Jezel empathized with their feelings, even as he forced a bitter smile. The reason didn’t matter. He wanted a piece of Dobi too.
“Regardless of the reason, Oknodie has secured a baby Kraken. There’s no reason to secure it if he doesn’t intend to use it. Since the capture has been discovered, the seniors will likely come to reclaim supplies from Oknodie. He will make his move before next week starts.”
“What of it?”
“If Dobi truly moves for Oknodie, and if he leaks this information, he will definitely move according to our intentions. To uphold the pretense of helping Oknodie.”
Using Oknodie’s situation to leak information could lure Dobi to the desired location at the right time.
“Given that he’s even taken down Sing, we must proceed with caution to overwhelm him. If we do this, I can help you, and we will have our satisfying opportunity for revenge, right?”
Jezel’s narrowed eyes gleamed coldly.
“Is this enough to satisfy you?”
Isabel, sheathing a bone-slicing knife, smiled chillingly.
“Consider me satisfied. Quite so.”
*
The revenge using Professor Red Mountain failed. Orcatch had vanished.
“A first-year who can’t be handled even by using a professor; is revenge really possible against such a creature…?”
No, I can’t lose heart. He had stolen my precious Mandragora.
“Manager, the scout has brought word. The Dark Merchant Jezel plans to lure Dobi, the Grand Bishop of the Church of the End, under Oknodie’s name and trap him.”
“What’s the time and place?”
“Tomorrow at 9 PM. It’s the exact time Oknodie goes to attend a lecture, and it’s at a riverside spot away from the lecture.”
For those who don’t give up, opportunities surely arise. Orcatch clenched his fist.
“How many will join that operation?”
“The advanced level masters from the organization that plays with Oknodie and those from the Dark Trading Company are almost fully mobilized.”
“Excellent. The perfect opportunity has come.”
“Manager, what are you thinking?”
“Don’t you get it yet? At that time when the lecture is happening, and despite it being a special weekend, all those pesky creatures sticking around Oknodie will be drawn to Dobi.”
“Are you saying you want to strike Oknodie amidst that opportunity!?”
The club member gasped and tried to stop him.
“No matter what, it’s during lecture time. The instructors will be present, and the professors will be watching. More dangerous watchers than the first-year advanced class will be observing too.”
Injuries during lectures fall under the professor’s responsibility. To avoid accountability, it is the professor’s duty to protect the students. Injuries beyond prescribed methods during each lecture require points to compensate for healing. Should any humiliating situation develop from this, the professors wouldn’t remain idle, and instructors would particularly try to protect the first years, fearing blame.
‘No matter how blinded by revenge one might be, a club focused on plants can’t handle this kind of situation!’
The member’s thoughts were only half-right.
“When did I say I would personally take part?”
Instead, aren’t there already people ready to take revenge?
“The students attending the Let’s Try Growing Herbs lecture, who have had their herbs stolen, the teaching assistants assigned to the laboratory where the baby Kraken that Oknodie stole is, and Professor Red Mountain’s assistants and instructors.”
These aren’t just a few, but dozens of people harboring grievances against Oknodie.
“Even if the instructors are guarding, if so many people are determined to make his life miserable, they’ll have a hard time stopping it.”
“Whoa! When did the manager become so smart?”
“This isn’t all. While everyone is busy tying down Oknodie, we’ll infiltrate the first-year dormitory. And we will reclaim the rare plants that should have been mine.”
Orcatch, the Plant Club manager whose Howling Mandragora had been raided, drew his ambitious blade of revenge.
*
━━━
[Onboard Battle ①]
-Saturday 9 AM to 1 PM
-Professor: El Draco
-Adventure Department, General Studies
━━━
The eagerly awaited lecture time was approaching.
“Grrrrrr!”
Clank clank clank!
The Goo Kraken in the box roared in anger. The excuse made to the instructor and professors who came closer upon seeing the dangerous monster turned out to be a misfortune.
“You’re carrying it as food?”
“Yes! Octopuses taste best when they’re fresh, right? I want to slice it when I think about eating it since it regenerates after being cut after a while!”
“What a barbaric…”
The professor who had approached for the sake of student safety clicked his tongue, sympathizing with the poor Goo Kraken inside the box.
“It’s rare to be recognized for cruelty by the pirate El Draco. You should remember this well. You are a greenhorn with the qualities of a recognized great pirate.”
“Thank you?”
“Tch. If it were my ship, I would have squashed the troublemakers before a mutiny could occur. This is why I dislike the academy. I have to nurture raw stones that can someday plunge a knife into my ship.”
“…”
At least I managed to dodge the verbal onslaught. If the sudden arrival of the professor took possession of that dangerous object, it would be truly unfair.
Especially since there’s not many worse than Professor Bronze when it comes to bad habits, I was feeling quite anxious.
“Haha! Not too shabby. There aren’t many freshers who earn El Draco’s recognition, you know?”
Among those few students, the pirate Jigoku laughed heartily and slammed the box down. The vibrations transmitted from his palm elicited a Grrr… from the Goo Kraken inside the box.
Just a little longer, hang in there, little Goo!
“I’ll remind you, Oknodie. You’ve been attending class together, but you know well that Professor El Draco is the epitome of a lousy adult. He hates to see his students succeed. The reason he is conducting onboard battle practicals is simply that he wants to watch children fight. So don’t overdo it.”
“I already knew! That’s why I’m transporting the Goo Kraken in a box, because I can get away with such a delinquent professor!”
Onboard battle practicals. It may sound like a pleasant lecture where we shoot guns and enjoy the thrills of firefights, but the reality is more like a simulation where students roll around on a chaotic ship with shields up.
“Now, those over there are real pirates captured at sea for educational purposes during break. For now, your bodies and ships are equipped with shields, but the moment those shields are broken, you will immediately lose and be disqualified.”
“The student who scores the most points before disqualification will receive rewards, while the one in last place will face punishment. It goes without saying, but points will rise every time you engage in piratical acts and contribute to your major.”
“That’s all. Instructors, select the students according to their roles and prepare for boarding!”
The professors and instructors would man the boats transporting the students.
“Wait? This isn’t how it was supposed to go.”
This class should have involved students evenly splitting into two teams and facing off, so why has the difficulty suddenly increased?
“By the way, originally it was planned for students to battle each other, but this Class 981 received evaluations from other professors indicating exceptional overall grades and capabilities, so we’ve raised the level of difficulty. I will drain all your strength so you can’t even attempt 14 lectures in a semester. Mwahahaha!”
“Professor… we’re only taking six classes in a semester. Can we just take it easy while Oknodie struggles?”
“In that case, you can take on the role of an onboard slave during this test.”
“Huh?”
“Cowards afraid of fighting should scram and go do some underground work instead!”
“Yikes! I’m sorry, Professor. I’ll fight, don’t put me in a dungeon!”
“Instructors! What are you standing around for? Get them on board right now!”
Ugh, so the overall level of students improves, resulting in an increased challenge, and since I took many lectures, the professor’s sadistic tendencies are fired up to further raise the difficulty again.
The pirates I managed to work with are likely not a ragtag group squatting along the coastline but the larger pirates aiming at vessels crossing the seas.
If they are high-spec pirates assuming my participation, they should measure up!
“Jigoku. I’m going to apologize in advance!”
“Huh? Are you saying you won’t leave any of the pirates alive? Hahaha! What a greedy little Goo! You really are a natural-born pirate!”
Meanwhile, I plan to unleash the Goo Kraken, slip away, and infiltrate the student dormitory zone undetected.
In other words, my apology meant for Jigoku was encouraging him to double his efforts!
But then a problem arose.
“Open fire to the port!”
With Jigoku’s shout, the scallywags from the Jigoku Pirate Group, who had been dragged into the practical session forcibly, commenced bombardment all at once.
Boom, boom, boom!
With a thunderous roar, the ship manned by real pirates swayed as masts broke and the deck crumbled, sending splintered wood flying everywhere.
“Oh no! The Jigoku Pirate Group is too strong; I can’t pretend to be taken down and get left behind!”
Did they perhaps practice breaking ships during vacation? Their cannon skills are rather impressive.
At this rate, we can’t possibly lose due to the strength of our allies.
“I’m not at fault! It’s bad because our team is strong!”
If we were a bit weaker, we wouldn’t need to start a mutiny in the middle of the exam!
