Chapter 363: Chapter 363

“Dark Beast Squad? Even the name sounds like a bunch of brutal criminals.”

“They’re definitely the culprits behind this case.”

“If we catch them… we’ll definitely get great grades on the final exam!”

Restaurants, alleys, plazas.

Everywhere was filled with talk of the Dark Beast Squad. At the moment, they were the most likely suspects.

Perhaps it was because a suspect had finally been identified in a case that had shown no signs of progress. Both students and instructors were full of energy.

‘We’re the Dark Beast Squad.’

As soon as they entered the alley, Luna exploded in anger.

It was infuriating to be mistaken as the villains when they had helped rescue Dolores, but—

“You’ve ended up as a villain again. Why… why do they keep tormenting my friend ?”

Luna quietly wiped away her tears.

It seemed Luna truly believed my lie without a shred of doubt.

In my childhood, when I always ended up playing the villain because of my slit-eyes.

The lie I made up about wanting to play the role of a hero at least once.

‘A lie I created to keep up the Dark Beast Squad activities.’

I had no intention of correcting that lie.

Because if she found out she was tricked, she’d tear me apart like a chunk of meat.

The longer I kept up the lie, the worse it would be—but I had no plans to give up being part of the Dark Beast Squad.

‘The Dark Beast Squad… If used properly, it feels like it could become a major power in the future.’

In fact, it was rare for hidden pieces to continuously connect .

Hidden pieces were rare by nature. But for them to keep linking together?

‘Something’s going on.’

Even if this game had a high degree of freedom, it definitely had a central framework.

The Emperor, the Empire’s Eight Pillars, the Legion Commanders, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the main characters including Alex.

They were the backbone of [Hero of the Academy] and the main pillars driving the story.

As you played the game, whether you liked it or not, you’d eventually get involved with them.

‘The start of the Dark Beast Squad began when I met Crowell in the underground of Carpathia.’

Crowell, who switched classes to Black Mage after being tempted by the promise of becoming a magician.

I met him there and discovered the “Jewel of Kelzad,” the 3rd Legion Commander.

‘Since only a Black Mage could use it, I gave it to Crowell.’

The item itself wasn’t important. What mattered was getting involved with a Legion Commander in some way.

Tying into the main story via a Legion Commander on the first mission?

That was huge. But at the time, I dismissed it as coincidence.

It was common to get involved with them in some way, and I had no more reason to continue the Dark Beast Squad activity.

‘But here I ended up continuing the Dark Beast Squad again.’

Dragged into it by Luna, it started as a half-forced involvement. But as I went along, I began to realize—

Something was definitely off.

In the first mission, it was the 3rd Legion Commander Kelzad.

In the second mission, I got involved with Lowell of the Lucid family.

A Legion Commander and the Lucid family, one of the Eight Pillars of the Empire.

Getting involved with them was already significant, but the content of the involvement was even more so.

First, consider the case of the 3rd Legion Commander Kelzad.

There’s a mid-game episode where Kelzad descends upon Carpathia once more.

The brilliant commercial city of Carpathia is reduced to ashes, and until the Continental Alliance is formed, it delivers a huge blow to the Empire.

And there’s one item that significantly boosts Kelzad’s power during this event—

The “Jewel of Kelzad” that I gave to Crowell.

‘It’s a broken item that lets you substitute garbage for sacrifices.’

Even buildings and structures count as garbage when destroyed.

Commander Kelzad uses the structures of Carpathia as sacrifices instead of human souls to fight the alliance.

But I destroyed that overpowered item. According to what veteran players call the “veteran calculation formula”…

‘Kelzad’s power is probably reduced by around 20%.’

Also, for some unknown reason, the lord had been changed from the pig men to someone under Duke Luke—Count Benazar.

It’s possible Kelzad’s descent might unfold differently this time.

‘Well, just this amount of change probably isn’t enough.’

A Legion Commander is never an easy opponent. With luck, we might survive a day longer at best.

Anyway, this is what I want to say.

If, while operating in the shadows as the Dark Beast Squad, we deal damage to enemies and bring benefits to allies—

The Dark Beast Squad.

Could very well become the “key” to clearing the final boss.

Good. As I piece the puzzle together, the hypothesis is looking solid.

The problem is, in order to prove this hypothesis—

‘The Dark Beast Squad has to bring some benefit to Lowell…’

But I have no idea what that would be.

Should I tell her to drink milk if she wants to grow taller?

She’d probably cut my legs off and make me her height instead.

“Hey! What have you been mumbling about this whole time? Aren’t you mad?”

Luna stomped her foot, fuming.

Right. I should stop thinking here. First, I needed to calm Luna down.

“Keke, seriously. Getting branded as a pervert right at the start of our activity… how troublesome.”

“Huh? You being a pervert isn’t really a problem, is it? You’ve always been one anyway.”

I see. Since it’s true that I’m a pervert, there’s no reason to be angry?

Should I be… grateful for that?

“I-I’m done playing hero! I-I’m best suited to be Villager Number 6… uhuuuuaaaaah!”

Rezé screamed from inside the box.

Even just being a passing villager was already being an extra, but to be Number 6? What a ridiculous rabbit.

Of course, I had no intention of letting her go. When I die, she’ll die with me—and when she dies, I’ll walk out alive.

“Keke, then we’ll have to find a mask that suits Villager Number 6.”

Rezé convulsed inside the box as if it were about to tear apart. Luna, who had been listening to our conversation, tilted her head.

“Hm? Wait. So you’re not planning to stop the activity?”

“The path of justice is always harsh, is it not?”

“It’d be difficult alone. But the Dark Beast Squad is ‘us’, isn’t it?”

“Zero…” Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on NoveI~Fire.net

It’s hard alone. But if it’s with friends—with ‘us’—it’s possible.

Was she moved? Luna turned away and wiped her tears.

“You’ve grown so much… Feels like just yesterday you were crawling around without a care.”

Luna, can you stop acting like you raised me? It’s the opposite! I raised you!

“Alright! Next time, I’ll definitely become a hero of justice and help fulfill your dream. That way, the bad rumors from this mess will disappear too, right?”

“Keke, exactly. I’ll be counting on you.”

“N-Nooooo! P-Pervert! There’s a pervert hereeeeee!”

Maybe she recalled the fear of facing Lowell. Rezé escaped from the box.

But she didn’t get far. I caught her immediately.

As I pondered what sort of threat would work best on the squirming Rezé at my side—

From the dark alleyway. And from the bright avenue connected to it—

That girl ran straight into the arms of the youngest of the Trash Sprout Defense Squad, Asela.

“Yes, it’s me. I’m back!”

Perhaps it was the warmth she felt in Dolores’s arms. Tears welled up in Asela’s eyes.

Then, her face slowly began to crumple.

“S-Sorry. I-I’m not supposed to cry. I-I’m not allowed to cry…”

“I see. You’ve been trying hard, haven’t you? Our Asela’s been protecting me, huh?”

Asela nodded frantically. Dolores smiled gently and hugged her tightly.

“It’s okay. You can cry now.”

“U-Uwaa… Ueheeeeeeeeng!”

Dolores and Asela held each other, crying. Behind them stood Adel and Whale, trying hard to hold back tears themselves.

As I watched them, I suddenly realized something.

The squirming at my side—Rezé had gone still.

What emotion was she feeling right now?

Joy? Sadness? Fulfillment? Or…

“Returning to Villager Number 6 is fine. But you’ll never see a scene like that again.”

Rezé didn’t answer. She simply—

Stared blankly at the two children crying under the dazzling sunlight.

“Everyone, gather up!”

“All students to the main plaza!”

“Emergency assembly!”

At some point, the voices of instructors calling out echoed throughout the village.

The children began to quickly move toward the main plaza, and naturally, we were among them.

A small platform stood in the plaza. On it stood a man.

Caron, the Empire’s Rat.

“How have you all been? Judging by your faces, looks like you’ve been eating and sleeping well. No wonder you couldn’t find a single missing child.”

The first words out of Caron’s mouth, whom we were seeing again after several days, were sharp.

Painfully sharp, too.

The children trembled. A rumor had been going around that it was the rat who was sent in yesterday that found Dolores.

Perhaps Caron found that reaction amusing. He gave a rotten smile.

“Still, you’re lucky. The case isn’t over yet. Let me explain the current situation first.”

Caron’s briefing began.

Dolores, who had been captured as a sacrifice, had been rescued—but the culprit had yet to be caught.

Bickerd and Redington had been arrested at the scene but were keeping their mouths shut.

“Baron Kelven denies involvement, claiming he had nothing to do with it. Given the circumstances, there’s a 99% chance he made a contract with a demon… but he didn’t show any reaction to ‘Inquisition.’”

Off in the distance, Victoria could be seen sighing. She had been the one to conduct the Inquisition.

Inquisition was a high-level technique that only those chosen by the goddess could use.

If someone had made a contract with a demon, they should’ve shown some kind of response—but Baron Kelven had shown none at all.

“For now, we’re treating this as the personal misconduct of Bickerd and Redington. According to Dolores’s testimony, Sir Pjol may also be involved… but we can’t punish anyone based on a single testimony.”

Therefore, Pjol was suspended from duty and put under house arrest.

Depending on how the case progressed, the consequences would change.

“There are three things we must do from here on. First, find out if there are any other knights involved. Second, locate the human who made a contract with the demon. Third, gather information about the group known as the Dark Beast Squad.”

The children began murmuring among themselves.

Things were turning out to be more complicated than expected.

The instructors distributed some items to the children in each group.

We also received something from Ron.

It was a signal flare. A high-grade one with a mana stone inside.

“Especially, if you come into contact with the Dark Beast Squad, fire the signal flare immediately. Lady Lowell and I will go.”

I could tell. There was one person Caron hadn’t mentioned.

Signal flares. An item not provided in the game.

The moment it was launched into the sky, Adonis would surely transform into lightning and come flying in.

Far off in the distance, I saw Adonis’s eyes sparkling.

Those were the eyes of someone filled with determination to meet the ‘Dark Beast Squad.’

‘Come to think of it, I have to avoid that monster too, right?’

Dealing with Caron was already overwhelming, but now I had to avoid Adonis as well, make contact with Lowell, and provide her some kind of benefit?

Hmm… let’s just say that my earlier hypothesis was wrong.

It was impossible to avoid the pursuit of those two.

“That’s all. The case is now a public investigation, so move freely. We’ve already requested the villagers’ cooperation.”

With those words, Caron left his post.

One by one, the other groups also left the plaza.

“What… what did he mean by all that? I thought it was over?”

“Haha! So did we. But then Baron Kelven was declared innocent through the Inquisition!”

Ron laughed foolishly. Luna muttered as she watched him.

“Wait a second! Then could it be…?”

“Keke, that’s right.”

Boring, and more boring.

It meant we had to start gathering information all over again.

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