Chapter 129 : Chapter 129
Chapter 129
A new… morning dawned, but it felt anything but fresh.
Tedious.
A month had passed since Brahmus' invasion, the week-long closure, and returning to school.
‘Doesn’t that sun know it should skip a day? Then people might feel gratitude.’
Blaming the sun didn’t change the fact that morning came.
…Nor that I had to go to school.
“Uh, um…”
“Hey…”
I was used to the stares on my way to school.
I’d been called trash Martin thousands of times.
“It’s true.”
“Oh…”
Being noticed was the same.
But… different from before.
“…The Cadet Duel Assessment. Did you see it?”
“Yeah. It was… incredible.”
“He got into Class A this time.”
Not a single person called me trash.
“I saw him fighting that demon lord.”
“It was amazing… really.”
“Wow…”
They all lowered their heads, eager to avoid me.
“And above all.”
“Right, yeah.”
“That Martin was ‘him,’ wasn’t he?”
Of course.
Part of my identity… was exposed that day.
“The Black Knight.”
“The Princess' Black Knight.”
“Dungeon Tournament, Hunting Contest champion.”
My face had been revealed when Brahmus damaged the Black Knight’s armor.
As a celebrity, it was… awkward to think about what would happen next.
If you asked if I regretted it, no.
Without the Black Knight’s armor, I wouldn’t have survived.
‘Above all.’
The coffee wagon.
It was revealed to be mine.
I knew my fame would eventually cause it to come out.
‘Hah, who knew that’d be the issue.’
Brahmus had blatantly lifted me, knocking off the Black Knight’s helmet.
There were apparently many witnesses.
‘Damn.’
With the news spreading like wildfire in the papers, I couldn’t deny it.
Opening the classroom door, about 15 people stared at me.
Ironically, everyone except me was already there.
“….”
“….”
“….”
No one spoke.
They expressed themselves with their eyes.
Luri looked concerned, Adela seemed her usual self.
The protagonist’s party was calmer than expected… and Prince Kazaks looked at me with covetous eyes.
‘Troublesome.’
The cadets from Classes B, C, and D, whom I didn’t know, looked at me with curiosity.
‘Ugh, patience.’
But Gilbert, fearless, approached me.
His unscathed, robust appearance irritated me.
This protagonist was so overpowered that while I barely recovered with the rosary, he mastered self-regeneration through stellar force in just a week.
Above all, his mental fortitude let him grin in front of me after that big fight.
Damn protagonist.
“Cadet Martin, how’ve you been…”
“Shut up and get out of my sight.”
“Sure!”
Thumbs up, smiling, he returned to his seat.
I wanted to shoot him dead.
He did this every morning, never tiring of it.
‘Seriously!’
I glared at the protagonist’s party, signaling them to control their leader.
“Eek!”
Only poor Mary flinched and lowered her head.
…That wasn’t my intention.
“Hah…!”
I could respond like this now, but once Hailey entered, I’d have to restrain myself.
“Martin, you okay?”
Luri patted my back gently.
“…I’m fine.”
“If anything’s troubling you, tell me anytime. No matter what anyone says, I’m on your side.”
Meanwhile, Adela, far from comforting…
“Hmph, perfect.”
“…?”
Was delighted.
“This ensures no clueless fool will try to steal my Black Knight.”
“…Is that what matters?”
“It’s important.”
“No, the fact that I, a trash villain, am the Black Knight is the bigger issue. Are you managing public opinion?”
Adela almost said, ‘I stopped caring about that when I came to the Academy for you,’ but changed her words.
“What nonsense. You ignorant fool. Don’t you know how high your reputation is soaring these days?”
“…Soaring.”
It was soaring.
Uncomfortably so.
But surely, nobles who loved to tear Adela down were itching to attack me.
“Not soaring, more like a pheasant falling among wolves.”
“A pheasant? Hmm, an interesting metaphor.”
“It wasn’t meant to be interesting.”
Then the front door opened, and Hailey entered.
Making a ‘Bam!’ sound effect, she stood at the podium.
“Everyone, attention! Greet the teacher!”
Bord, now the class president of the new Class A, led the greeting.
After the greeting, the morning assembly began.
“Everyone! As announced, today we’ll conduct practical Time Chaos Dungeon conquest.”
A month had passed since the closure ended and the Academy resumed normal operations.
‘Finally.’
I could enter a Time Chaos Dungeon!
Among the countless dungeons in the original story, I could tackle those I regretted not conquering early.
“I’ll start with a briefing. As you all know, Imperium Academy has a device called the ‘Dive Tunnel’ that allows entry to nearly all Time Chaos Dungeons in the world.”
Naturally, it was the work of the Archmage Principal.
In the original, Gilbert and the protagonist’s party used it to conquer distant dungeons from the Academy.
“Near the Dive Tunnel, you’ll find the finest supplies gathered from across the continent, so make sure to take everything you need. And…”
Various precautions followed, mostly basic knowledge.
Things we’d learned in class.
“And one last thing. You’re probably lucky.”
Lucky?
Suddenly?
“This Time Chaos Dungeon conquest training is being personally overseen by our Archmage Principal.”
***
The Dive Tunnel.
The only ‘ultra-long-range target transport device’ on the continent.
It couldn’t reach the first Time Chaos Dungeon at the heart of the Cosmos Empire, but it could connect to dungeons at the border or across the continent for immediate dives.
Owned by Imperium Academy, it was accessible to Gold and Platinum Knights.
“Everyone, enter.”
The Dive Tunnel’s entrance opened, and Class A cadets began entering in rows.
Classes B, C, and D were there, as were second- and third-years following behind.
The interior was a vast dome, futuristic yet ornate like a noble’s banquet hall.
On the left were top-quality supplies; on the right, a map.
At the far end was the core of the Dive Tunnel.
‘Impressive.’
Once all first-, second-, and third-years entered, the doors closed, enveloping the cadets in silence.
The third-years moved first.
“Let’s check the map.”
“We need to decide which one to conquer.”
Perhaps showing off to the younger cadets, the graduating class moved swiftly.
They were seasoned from practical training.
They formed groups and gathered around the map.
‘Groups, huh.’
We had formed groups for class training.
My group was Bord and Mary.
That day’s training was likely for this moment.
But.
‘There’s no rule saying we must stick to our groups.’
Look at the protagonist’s party huddled together.
Class A headed to the map too.
It wasn’t an ordinary map.
A magical map showing all Time Chaos Dungeons worldwide accessible via dive.
‘As expected.’
Fog Island.
A small island at the continent’s south.
In the original, its late conquest and delayed response caused the worst catastrophe.
‘Is this possible?’
There was no reason it couldn’t be.
Honestly, I might be able to do it alone.
If I prepared well.
‘The issue is permission.’
Would the Archmage allow it?
A cadet like me aiming to conquer a ‘Level 5’ Time Chaos Dungeon.
‘I’ll just have to try.’
“Hurry up.”
“Alright, cool.”
Some third-year groups headed to the Dive Tunnel.
They seemed rushed?
Correct.
Time Chaos Dungeons were first-come, first-served.
‘Once a group enters, others can’t.’
Unless it’s one or two people, the entrance closes for larger groups due to the warped spacetime.
Without installing a dive bridge inside, no one, not even emergency rescue teams, could enter.
“Hey, Martin. How about this one?”
Luri pointed to a Level 3 Time Chaos Dungeon at the border.
Even a Level 3 required multiple Silver Knights.
Bold for Luri.
Likely influenced by her recent awakening.
“Well…”
“I think this is better.”
Adela presented a Level 4 Time Chaos Dungeon.
One requiring multiple Gold Knights…
Typical Adela bravado.
A Level 4 dungeon was so significant that conquering it could grant a solo dive license.
The right to form your own group or dive alone.
“What do you think, Luri of Elidore? If you’re going to do it, aim this high.”
“Gah! I’m being serious!”
Luri thought Adela was joking and retorted.
But Adela was serious.
And… so was I.
“I’ll do it separately.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
The target was set.
Now, for the hunt’s preparation.
I turned and headed to the supply depot.
Inside, I began stuffing antidotes into the magical pouch Nerjin gave me.
I ignored low-grade antidotes.
Only the finest, crafted from herbs effective against all poisons and infused with priests’ divinity.
“Martin? What are you preparing for?”
Luri, following me, asked.
“Dungeon conquest.”
“Really? But…”
She didn’t say it, but it was as if I knew what the dungeon was like.
“Hm? Are you sweeping up all the antidotes? Why would someone as cautious as you…?”
Even Emperor Anette, watching from afar, was shocked.
‘Because it’s Martin.’
Luri had faith.
Whatever it was, Martin had a plan.
“I’ll go ahead.”
I declared at the Dive Tunnel.
Not only the first first-year declaration but among the fastest, aside from the earliest third-years.
“Uh…”
“Martin, already?”
The protagonist’s party, pretending not to watch, stared at me blankly.
“Hm… so soon? Wouldn’t it be fine to deliberate more…?”
Even Emperor Anette looked at me, flustered.
“….”
“….”
Luri and Adela, following, gazed at me with puzzled eyes.
“Hmm?”
Prince Kazaks, closely observing me, was the same.
It wasn’t just those directly connected to me.
Good or bad, my fame was academy-wide.
Nearly every cadet glanced at me.
I stepped onto the Dive Tunnel alone.
[Target selection.]
An elderly voice sounded.
Familiar.
Was it recorded?
“The Time Chaos Dungeon of Fog Island.”
[Target confirmed. Level 5 Time Chaos Dungeon.]