The Destroyer had long collaborated with Professor Sadako to uncover the dark secrets of the Foundation.
Realizing that the Butler, one of the Director of the Foundation’s subordinate branches, had mastered the duality of [Stepping] was a significant achievement.
However, the greater help came from Professor Sadako’s minions.
‘The type of consumables that humans must necessarily use, the flow of resources, identifying local informants was handled by the Thief Guild, but that was all it amounted to.’
It was Professor Sadako, unafraid of death, who found the existence dancing beyond awareness through the eyes of the already dead.
The Skeleton Instructor was a person who had also played a role in the previous Butler search operation.
– That instructor is on a completely different ‘level’. What is he?
– A giant.
– …He looks like an ordinary-sized human to me.
– He’s compressed.
– There shouldn’t be any giants on the surface; at best, only ogres of the giant race about 4m tall remain, right?
– Underworld. There are still many down below.
Realizing that Underworld literally meant Underworld was after Seonhwang had unsealed the hidden Underworld gate in the Golden District.
That would mean Professor Sadako had already recognized and traversed into the Underworld before Seonhwang opened the gate.
Since when was it?
Was it after the sealing gate was established?
Or before the sealing gate existed?
If after, the ability to deceive even Seonhwang with abilities surpassing seals is fearsome.
If before, it’s terrifying to think of the years spent amassing power and the wizardry he has built up.
The strength of the instructors that Professor Sadako commanded from the Underworld can only be stronger than the ordinary assistants chosen directly by the professor.
Just as the notorious pirate El Draco recruited his deputy, who excels in fleet battles, as an assistant, that man might be the second or third strongest of Sadako’s undead forces.
‘Oh. This is definitely not ordinary strength.’
Multiple attributes, attack absorption, absolute defense.
The three-tiered scamming technique combined into [Death Field Attack Absorption Exclusive Reflection Barrier] is an extreme-level defensive technique that turns a technique blocked once back against its user.
Fear, disgust, sorrow, despair, nihilism.
A colossal mana sphere boiling with the five elements of the audio dimension.
Attack techniques are also among the most powerful erosion techniques that target both mind and body, being able to nullify defenses.
Moreover, the power and mana that the Skeleton Instructor can utilize are phenomenal, fitting for a compressed vessel of a giant.
Death Field.
An area generated when magic is frantically accumulated.
It can be artificially triggered and can handle more than 90% of the mana supplied to the Death Field not with magic stones but with his [Nature Mana] instead.
The Theme Park side calculated the Death Field’s power at just 10% believing they only needed to handle 10% of mana through magic stones, which is cunning and deeply calculating.
When necessary, they might initiate an area with the power nearing 9 times greater, making it impossible for the Theme Park to control the Death Field and instead, consuming the energy they sought to regulate.
‘They’ve considered many factors. The Oknodie plan to use such a Death Field merely as an
If it weren’t for me.
If I weren’t here.
‘Or perhaps…’
When not presenting oneself.
The possibility of Professor Sadako changing.
The possibility of the assistant of Professor Sadako going berserk.
Could it be foreseen and countered early?
Considering Oknodie’s genius amusement that toys with even Empires, it’s not entirely out of the question.
“If we use techniques, he’ll copy them, so we must clear a path with physical strength! Go, golems!”
The experienced feeling starts from mobilizing the golems optimized for the approach and executing it.
This child always prepares for ‘every possible situation’.
Staying one step ahead of the upcoming threat to maintain a state of ‘combat readiness’.
Deploying the ‘suitable resources’ as needed.
Suddenly such thoughts crossed my mind.
‘What if Oknodie had been present during my first hero’s journey with Ni’alatotep?’
If there were always the necessary resources.
If there was always combat readiness.
If there was always preparation for every situation.
If they possessed such level of experience.
Could the failed, imperfect adventures have changed?
Could Oknodie have succeeded from the start in this second and solitary hero’s journey?
‘I wish to see that potential.’
So, that potential cannot be allowed to falter here.
“Ugh! He’s even copying my basic attack and using Stone Hand!”
“…”
I have a slight suspicion about whether absolute preparation was really achieved, but either way, the Destroyer raised his hand.
[Fourfold Boundary]
[Erosion of Territory]
[Destruction Zone]
Once the gaze reaches a certain range, a massive gravity is unleashed by the Destroyer to push enemies away, draw them in, crush them, or blast them into the air to death.
As this area unfolded towards the center, the walls of the Death Field filled with all sorts of scams and mazes shrank destructively into an uncontrollable singular point.
[Gravitational Pull]
Following the gravitational pull directed toward him, a small sphere returned to the Destroyer’s hand.
A sinister power filled with dread obsidian began to carve through the Death Field like a checkerboard pattern, lifting numerous orbs onto his hand.
[What is this power…?]
[Who are you?]
[Who dares to defile my territory?!]
KABOOM!
The Skeleton Instructor pushed back Valefor Wasabi, whom he couldn’t defeat with beam fire reflection, using the gigantic force of Stone Hand.
As Wasabi rolled at his feet, the Destroyer stared at the Skeleton Instructor.
“It’s me.”
Silence ensued.
Inside the area, the Skeleton Instructor blinked his blue lights, looking shocked.
The fierce expression transformed into that of a cute, pitying puppy.
[Who are you with such strong energy?]
“Don’t you recognize the companion of your master?”
[Professor Sadako is a friendless outcast, you know?]
“An ally doesn’t necessarily have to be a friend.”
[Ah…! Could it be the Destroyer Professor?]
As the Destroyer nodded, the jaw of the Skeleton Instructor dropped.
“Do you think I would tolerate seeing your vile desires harm my disciple?”
[This is a misunderstanding. This isn’t solely my decision!]
“Does that mean it’s Professor Sadako’s order?”
[Of course not. The professor would be delighted to create undead from Oknodie and train them to murder my disciple! I can swear it with my life!]
“…”
Somehow, the thought that the woman could do that crossed my mind.
However, the Destroyer relentlessly expanded his territory.
In the space adjacent to the Skeleton Instructor’s right arm.
[Fourfold Boundary]
[Erosion of Territory]
[Destruction Zone]
Pressure crushed down on his arm.
The Skeleton Instructor, weakened by the output of the area while deploying the Death Field, couldn’t withstand the sudden burden and lost his arm.
[Argh! Why don’t you trust me?!]
“The undead are the dishonored dead set free from the living’s oaths. Your honor and oaths hold no value at all.”
That wasn’t all.
“Those who barely know Professor Sadako tend to mistake her for a heartless, unfeeling demon, but she does have preferences.”
[Preferences…?]
“Professor Sadako loves beauty and dislikes ugliness. How could she, once the most beautiful, cover her face with long hair in sorrow after losing her beauty in her prime, ever think of changing Oknodie’s youthful beauty into a skeleton?”
[The beauty of a 12-year-old child…? I’ve heard rumors that the Destroyer Professor likes small beings like Professor Pinkberry; do they want to keep Oknodie around…?]
“Shut up.”
As the Destroyer expanded his territory again, the Skeleton Instructor’s left arm was compressed into a large black sphere and floated above the Destroyer’s hand.
The compressed spheres fused into a circular core, birthing a new kind of rare metal called black pressure stone, filled with immense power.
“Sparing your life is purely because I have to deal with Professor Sadako. It’s not out of mercy for you. Do not test my patience.”
[The power that surpasses the peak of the Previous Hero era, unbelievable… hhehe. This, I’ve seriously picked the wrong timing. I concede to defeat…]
Outside the totally open area, Oknodie climbed up the maze walls, marveling.
“Wow! How did you do that? You just flattened it, no chance of reflecting!”
“…The common sense is to counter the territory with the same territory. An area specialized in mimicry cannot replicate an attack that exceeds the total power of the area. Even if it attempts to mimic, it will only manage a less effective and eroded attack due to proficiency.”
“So, a mimic user must overwhelm in mana and increase the complexity of the mimicking technique!”
“Glad you caught on quickly.”
“Thanks, Professor! Can you keep an eye on the Skeleton Instructor until Professor Sadako arrives?”
The new position chosen to protect Oknodie and her assets.
The Destroyer willingly accepted her request.
Clouds floated in the sky.
With its shape changing for the third time.
The Destroyer looked back at the entrance of the Theme Park.
An existence that withers the life of those who merely appear, voiding their vitality.
The living trembled in fear, smashing their heads against the ground at the nightmare.
Professor Sadako had reached the Theme Park.
“…You’ve gotten a lot healthier since I last saw you.”
“Sadako. While I’m glad to see you again, we must first discuss the matter at hand.”
“If it’s the Skeleton Instructor, there’s no need to worry.”
Professor Sadako opened the coffin lid she had dragged along.
With a scream, the Skeleton Instructor vanished into the coffin.
The number 17.
It was the number attached to the coffin.
As Sadako kicked the coffin, a strong teleportation magic swapped this coffin with the number 17 sarcophagus among the Catacombs.
Number 18.
The lid of the newly appeared coffin opened.
“There are an abundance of substitute instructors available.”
If the Thief Guild and the loyalty of numerous thieves belong to the Destroyer, for Professor Sadako, there are the sarcophagi of the Catacombs and numbered Skeleton Instructors.
…That level of strength amounts to at least 18 or more.
Indeed, the decision to cooperate with Professor Sadako seemed wise, and the Destroyer sighed with relief.
“Thank you, Professor Dito!”
Oknodie, whose concerns completely vanished, expressed her gratitude in relief.
It was a rare mistake for her.
Before the Destroyer could even think about it, Professor Sadako reached out and pulled Oknodie in.
“Gah?! Why, why are you doing that?!”
“I heard you created a ride called the Dragon Train. What’s the principle behind it…?”
“Yes, it seems to be a dimensional speed train that allows passengers to quickly undergo attribute changes while enduring physically through the four dimensional properties…”
“That’s great… so the Skeleton Instructor was just a hindrance, let me help you out meaningfully.”
“Uh, how are you going to help?”
“Since ancient times, dragons have symbolized the number 7… if it’s a Dragon Train, it should represent 28. It should ideally possess 28 dimensional attributes… I will add 24 sound dimension attributes to your train.”
I see.
As Oknodie took a step back, she was dragged toward Professor Sadako with her neck gripped by the 18th Instructor [Wolf Skeleton].
“W-What is this about?!”
“If one creates something, someone has to take the risk and experiment…”
Even Oknodie, who normally would be delighted with Function Work and Resistance Training, couldn’t bring herself to enjoy what felt like the special training of Professor Sadako, and hung limply.
It was the result of a 50% reduced success probability from the effect of the Rune of Misfortune, followed by failed automatic, luck, and escape checks.
