Chapter 272 : A Dangerous Situation
Chapter 272: A Dangerous Situation
Guardian was in danger?
What did that mean?
“Explain in detail.”
“His heart has undergone mutations after being continuously exposed to mana. There have also been abnormalities in the cells within his blood. It's the influence of Otherworld Transformation. It's essentially no different from having blood cancer.”
“But isn't Guardian an Adaptee?”
“As I mentioned earlier, the nanomachines inside Mr. Guardian's body aren't receiving official support services. He may be able to increase his Replacement Rate by equipping various modules and fight enemies, but his fundamental functions are in an extremely poor state.”
Nanomachines also served as artificial white blood cells within the body.
Normally, they would track down and eliminate mutated cells that had been corrupted by mana while promoting the growth of new healthy cells, allowing Adaptees to resist mana.
However, Guardian had been injected with illegally custom-firmware nanomachines purchased from the Mafia, so those functions were no longer operating properly.
On top of that, he had continued being exposed to Dragon Magic.
It was only natural that his heart and blood would suffer corruption.
To use an analogy, it was like carrying radioactive material against his heart nonstop.
There was no way he could avoid getting cancer.
“And the solution?”
“Hmm... Actually, it isn't that difficult. As for the blood mutations, he simply needs continuous treatments using artificial blood packs and artificial bone marrow injections. The heart mutation is a little more troublesome, but we can either remove the heart entirely and implant an artificial heart cyberware, or simply equip a heart replacement module. Just activating and then deactivating it once will allow the nanomachines to restore everything back to its normal structure.”
If what she said was true, then it wasn't a particularly difficult problem.
The medical expenses would certainly be substantial, but as always, "money" was practically a nonexistent issue for me.
Miyu knew that perfectly well.
So she wouldn't have been worried about the financial aspect.
Even so, there had to be a reason she described the situation as "dangerous."
For example, perhaps there was some reason why treatment couldn't be carried out despite such a simple solution.
As expected...
“Th-The problem is... Mr. Guardian is refusing treatment.”
My prediction had been exactly right.
“南無阿彌陀佛觀世音菩薩....”
After the day's schedule had ended.
Inside the shared first-year training facility, which any Trinity Academy freshman could use, someone sat cross-legged in silent meditation, facing the wall while reciting Buddhist prayers.
His name was Guardian.
Guardian was so enormous that even while sitting down, it felt as though a giant mass completely filled the space.
As befitted a monk, his head had been completely shaved bald.
The traces of his turtle-shell-like Skin Armor Module remained clearly visible across his skin.
The module was so outdated that every time he exhaled softly, the armor plates clinked against each other with rattling metallic noises.
Even at a glance, he looked closer to a cyborg than a human being.
To put it simply...
He was rather intimidating.
Who is that guy?
I didn't see him during the Entrance Ceremony.
Did he get full-body modifications over the vacation?
Is he really a first-year...?
Everyone was already busy preparing for their examinations.
Naturally, they couldn't help but notice the giant monopolizing an entire corner of the training facility.
And then...
“Hey. You over there.”
Thanks to Chairman Aaron Stingray's many unprecedented reforms and the establishment of the Student Council, the atmosphere at Trinity Academy had improved considerably.
However, this place was still a jungle.
And naturally, there were still hyenas hunting for prey that stood out.
“Hey. Didn't you hear me?”
A group of students fearlessly walked over and tapped the giant on the back.
Since the hand belonged to a metallic pincer arm, it struck Guardian's Skin Armor Module with loud metallic clangs.
Clang! Clang!
Only then did Guardian slowly open his eyes, end his meditation, and turn his head toward the students who had called him.
“......May I ask what business you have with this humble monk?”
“Huh? What'd you say?”
The group of students burst into laughter.
“Did you hear that? 'This humble monk,' he says. Damn, I thought some monster had enrolled here, but he's just an ordinary bald monk.”
“......Please state your business.”
“Business? Ah, right, business. Nothing much. Just wanted to ask one little favor.”
“Please speak.”
“Get out of here.”
The students behind the apparent leader laughed once again.
Guardian narrowed his eyes slightly before asking,
“Has this humble monk done something wrong?”
“Just being here is the problem. You're not even training. You're just sitting there staring at the wall and muttering to yourself. It's seriously annoying.”
“Ah... My apologies. I believed I had chosen the corner so I would disturb the other Bodhisattvas as little as possible, but it seems I caused trouble regardless. However, this is part of the training method I was taught. I would appreciate your understanding. From now on, I shall be even quieter...”
“What are you even talking about? I don't care.”
The student cut him off.
“Just get the hell out of here. You're getting on everyone's nerves.”
“......I do not understand.”
“You seriously don't get it? This training facility is exclusively for first-years. In other words, it's where corporate scouts come most frequently. See that?”
The student pointed his thumb toward the ceiling behind him.
Following his gesture, Guardian saw people in suits observing the students from above.
“Even now, they're watching to see which of us is worth recruiting. Everyone here is busting their ass trying to catch their attention.”
“Th-That means...?”
“No, quit giving me those stupid answers and listen. I'll put it simply. Because of you, nobody can focus on training, and some nobody is stealing all the attention. You're seriously getting in the way. If you understand, quietly stand up and leave.”
“Hmm...”
Guardian quietly met the student's eyes and let out a thoughtful hum.
Then, as though he had suddenly realized something, his eyes widened.
“Ah, I understand now. My apologies. It seems this humble monk was mistaken.”
“......What?”
Mistaken?
The students frowned in irritation at Guardian's response.
But Guardian continued speaking with genuine remorse.
“I believed this to be nothing more than an ordinary training facility. It appears I was mistaken. Had I known that someone who had already been selected as a scholarship student occupying this place would inconvenience everyone, I would never have done so. I sincerely apologize.”
“H-Huh? Wait... Scholarship student? You already have a sponsoring company?”
“Indeed.”
Guardian answered proudly.
The students immediately became nervous.
Normally, anyone selected as a scholarship student before even taking their first examination either had parents connected to a corporation, came from wealth, or possessed overwhelming talent.
They had assumed he was merely an ordinary monk and had subconsciously looked down on him.
Instead, he turned out to be someone backed by a corporation.
“......”
“......”
“Why have you all gone silent?”
Guardian asked in confusion.
The students only exchanged awkward glances without answering.
They had been willing to risk damaging their personality evaluations in front of the corporate scouts in order to eliminate a competitor.
Instead, they seemed to have made an enemy they couldn't afford to offend.
Should they apologize and back down now?
Or should they double down?
While everyone hesitated, unable to decide, the apparent leader finally gathered his courage and spoke.
“I-I see. So... which company are you with?”
The question was half bluff and half genuine curiosity.
At the same time, he assumed that any company willing to recruit someone wearing such obviously outdated modules couldn't possibly be one of the top-tier corporations.
At best, some mid-sized Megacorp.
Probably not even ranked within the top one hundred corporations.
Certainly not influential enough to establish a branch office inside the Academy.
However, Guardian's answer was...
“The Stingray Foundation.”
“......What?”
The Stingray Group.
Ranked number one in the corporate world.
The undisputed ruler of New Valhalla City.
And the very place where the famous Aaron Stingray served as Chairman of the Foundation.
“......”
“......”
“......”
Guardian's answer instantly froze the atmosphere.
They had messed with the wrong person.
Seriously, catastrophically wrong.
They had picked a fight with a Stingray scholarship student.
The realization that their futures might already be ruined slowly spread through their hearts like creeping fog.
Then—
“What? Puhahahahaha! At least make your lies believable!”
The apparent leader burst into loud laughter the instant he heard Guardian's answer.
He deliberately exaggerated his laughter before continuing.
“Hey, asshole. You're with Stingray? Those armor modules you're wearing are obviously dirt cheap, and you're seriously trying to lie to my face? If you're gonna lie, at least make it something that'll last longer than five minutes. Anybody can expose that bluff with a little checking.”
“......I am not lying.”
“Who the hell do you think you're fooling?”
The student glared fiercely at Guardian, murderous intent spilling from his eyes.
“You could've just quietly left, but instead you're making this into some stupid pride contest? Fine. Just assume you're already dead. Got it?”
“......You refuse to listen.”
“This bastard's really gonna keep this up? How exactly do we fix this terrible habit of yours where you keep lying...?”
“Oh dear...”
A helpless groan escaped Guardian's lips.
He hadn't lied even once.
Yet somehow, the other side had reached their own conclusions and started making all sorts of accusations.
Not that Guardian was actually frightened.
He had dealt with Mafia members throughout the underworld of Sector E.
There was no way he would fear a bunch of twenty-year-olds who had only just entered the Academy.
Of course, the total output level of the modules they currently had equipped far exceeded that of most ordinary Mafia members.
But that alone couldn't compare to the murderous aura carried by people who had actually spent their lives killing.
How should he resolve this?
He had already been struggling after suddenly being thrown into such an unfamiliar environment.
He didn't want to become enemies with his fellow students as well.
If possible, he wanted to clear up the misunderstanding peacefully.
While he was lost in thought—
Bang!
The doors to the training facility swung open, and someone strode inside.
The newcomer was none other than Aaron Stingray.
The appearance of a VIP...
No, a VVVVVIP instantly put every first-year student on edge.
If they somehow caught his attention here and were selected as Stingray Special Scholarship Students—or at the very least Regular Scholarship Students—their entire lives could be transformed.
Some discreetly straightened their clothes while casually moving into positions where Aaron was more likely to notice them.
Others increased the weights on the training machines by several levels before shouting loud battle cries as they exercised.
Look at me!
Choose me!
The students stared at Aaron with sparkling eyes full of desperate hope.
A few even boldly approached him, trying to start a conversation.
“G-Greetings, Mr. Chairman! I'm one of this year's freshmen...”
“I'm busy. Step aside.”
“Ah... Y-Yes, sir. Sorry...”
After casually brushing away the bothersome flies trying to approach him, Aaron headed directly toward the corner where Guardian was surrounded by students.
“So this is where you were.”
“Ah... Y-You are...”
“The Special Scholarship Student training facility exists. Why are you using a place like this?”
“I wasn't aware such a place existed...”
Aaron and Guardian quietly met each other's eyes.
And when the words "Special Scholarship Student" emerged during their conversation, the students standing nearby felt something inside themselves collapse.
Ah...
We're screwed.
It was true after all...
He's even a Special Scholarship Student...
The sound of something collapsing was undoubtedly the sound of their promising futures crumbling before their eyes.