Academy's Silver Gatekeeper-Chapter 63

Keeek—!

The students have finally succeeded in taking down one Lizardman. However, four more enemies still remain.

Baek Seojin's advice to take occasional breaks proved to be a godsend. If they had kept fighting blindly and encountered this situation, accumulated combat fatigue would likely have resulted in more serious injuries.

'What the hell is going on? How is a mere Lizardman withstanding my magic?'

Kang Hana bit her lip in this impossible situation.

Her freezing magic was potent enough to critically wound B-rank monsters. A C-rank should hardly be able to react, let alone withstand it.

Just look at the earlier battles. Lizardmen were dying from even relatively weak magic. She had even worried that other students might have nothing to do.

'But now...'

Kang Hana quickly surveyed the battlefield. She had conserved enough magic power to use wide-area spells.

The problem was that the distance between the students and Lizardmen was too close. If only they could create some distance, but whether the monsters would allow that was questionable.

"Doesn't something seem off, senior?"

The female student handling rear healing posed a question.

"Were Lizardmen always like this? This is my first time. They weren't this fast or strong before."

"I think it's strange too. There's no obvious external peculiarity. Oh, maybe..."

When Kang Hana looked at the female student, she shook her head.

"The Examiner checked earlier and confirmed they're C-rank."

Examiner Baek Seojin is of the support type, specifically detection and measurement. Though the skill he's demonstrated is of a seasoned weaponry type.

"Then how do we explain that..."

While speaking, Kang Hana suddenly noticed something odd.

Baek Seojin, who had been fighting alongside the students until just now, had disappeared from the front line.

'What? Where did the Examiner go?'

Could he have been taken down by a Lizardman? Kang Hana quickly scanned the ground but saw only Lizardman corpses. Besides, with Yoo Dasom present, she wouldn't just stand by if he was injured.

'Surely not... no, it can't be. The Examiner isn't that kind of person.'

Kang Minseong and Ma Hakjun, two elderly veterans extremely picky about people. Baek Seojin had impressed both of them simultaneously. Even Kang Hana herself was convinced that Baek Seojin was trustworthy.

So, she shouldn't think such absurd thoughts. There's no way he would run away like trash. He must have his reasons.

Yes. If it's Baek Seojin, if it's the Examiner, there must be a reason for his absence.

'...Right. Now that I think about it, what about the other creatures?!'

I was so focused on the immediate battle that I forgot the most important thing: in the current situation, being caught from behind would lead to disastrous results.

But despite the prolonged battle, no other Lizardmen were approaching. No Lizardman was approaching despite their kind fighting nearby?

'Examiner. Don't tell me, alone!'

Kwang—!

As if confirming Kang Hana's prediction, a thunderous noise erupted not far away.

*

Until just recently, students had been leisurely taking down Lizardmen. But now, as if that never happened, they could be seen struggling considerably.

It wasn't that the students were weak. They hadn't grown careless either. The change had occurred not in them, but in the monsters.

'At first, I thought they might be new specimens, or their rank had increased.'

Neither is the case. The overall level of the creatures has simply risen.

In the early days of the Gate crisis, the level of newly emerged ability users was lower than now. Later, as specialized training institutions appeared and veterans provided training, they gradually improved until reaching the current level.

The same process is now happening with monsters. While our side received education as effective, rapid lessons from previous generations, the monsters changed through selection for survival, a kind of "evolution."

I actually considered using this knowledge. Monster evolution—thinking about it, it's a remarkable discovery.

They're getting stronger without their rank increasing. Considering that such occurrences will become more frequent in the future, this could be one of the few bright spots in my future, which otherwise holds nothing beyond civil service.

But the problem is, I'm just a civil servant, not a monster researcher. I'm not even field staff and wouldn't normally encounter monsters, so bringing up monster evolution suddenly? Even a passing dog would bark, "Don't talk nonsense."

Keeek—! Kiruk—!

"Just look forward! I'll cut off incoming ones!"

"If it gets tough, don't hesitate to fall back! Don't force it or something serious will happen!"

Fortunately, these Lizardmen can be considered in a "transitional phase." They've grown one step beyond ordinary ones, but they're still not perfect.

And the Squad 3 students were doing much better than expected.

'Not bad. Yes, so far so good.'

I pushed one Lizardman back toward the students. Caught from behind, it would soon be subdued.

The problem is that the current battle is dragging on too long. Everyone's attention is fixated here. On just five Lizardmen. Considering previous battles, other creatures might be approaching.

'And if they've evolved too, we're in real trouble.'

Was the unease I've been feeling, this sense of dissonance, a premonition of the current situation?

I'm not sure when I developed this sense. Like before, this tingling sensation. Was it from when the trait developed? No, thinking about it, I believe it was even earlier.

Like sensing when a superior is about to throw a fit, or when a problematic citizen is about to appear. Or even evacuating suddenly before a Gate appears.

'I've been good at detecting crisis situations. Looking at it that way, the real danger is just beginning.'

The tingling sensation points to a direction opposite from where the current battle is taking place. Something is approaching. Very quietly, but definitely.

I can't pull more personnel away. It's already tight here. So taking advantage of the students' focus on the Lizardmen, I slipped away. And moved toward the direction where I felt the most ominous sensation.

'...Yes. Sad premonitions always come true. Damn it.'

Not far from the Squad 3 students, in an area heavily covered with reeds.

Grrrr—

I encountered the boss of this dungeon, the "Alpha."

*

[Welcome, Headmaster.]

[You've arrived.]

"I apologize for being late."

As Ma Hakjun enters the video conference room, the Minister of the Interior and Safety and the Superhuman Association President greet him. Since they all know each other, they skip other formalities and get straight to the point.

[I apologize for calling you so suddenly, Headmaster. But it's an extremely urgent matter.]

Beep—

At this moment, another video call window appears, showing the face of an elderly man.

[What's this? They called you too, Hakjun?]

[That's how it turned out.]

Kang Minseong also appears in the video conference. From this, Ma Hakjun once again sensed that this was no ordinary matter.

[The abandoned mine dungeon in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, does everyone remember it?]

"If it's that place, I know it as an A-rank dungeon."

[That's correct. It's classified as an A-rank dungeon. A place that's been cleared several times already.]

The Minister of the Interior and Safety sighs and continues.

[There's been an accident in that dungeon. No, it would be more accurate to call it a disaster.]

[A disaster?]

Kang Minseong blinks his eyes in question. Ma Hakjun has a similar reaction. The word "disaster," not just "accident," was difficult to accept.

"What do you mean? A disaster?"

[Senior.]

The Ability Association President answered the two elderly men's questions.

[We just received word. The team that regularly went to clear the dungeon has been annihilated.]

"...What?"

[What did you say?]

Both Ma Hakjun and Kang Minseong question in disbelief. Their reactions showed they couldn't comprehend what they had just heard.

[What are you saying? Annihilated? And not just anybody, but A-rank?]

The nation's ultimate combat power consists of S-rank ability users.

But they are so rare, and their influence so immense when they move, that the actual main force is composed not of S-rank but A-rank ability users.

And most Gates or dungeons are handled at the A-rank level. The official appearance of an S-rank Gate only happened once, half a year ago. Therefore, in terms of practical experience, A-rank ability users are in no way inferior to S-rank ones.

"That's impossible."

Ma Hakjun, who knew the level of his juniors all too well, shook his head at the Minister.

"They were juniors with such rich practical experience. They knew well what a moment's carelessness could lead to. Annihilated? Association President, tell me the names of those on the team."

[Yes, Senior. The deceased members of the team were all A-rank ability users, totaling 6 people: weaponry type Koo Tae-beom, martial arts type...]

As the names of the deceased were listed one by one, Ma Hakjun and Kang Minseong let out sighs once more.

The listed names were quite capable juniors even among A-rank ability users. They weren't newly promoted A-ranks who were still essentially B-rank in ability.

"...What exactly happened?"

When Ma Hakjun, biting his lip, opened his mouth, the Association President answered.

[Shortly after the dungeon raiding team entered, monsters came pouring out. As you know, when a dungeon raid fails, monsters escape outside. From there, identifying the internal failure, we requested support from clans and formed an investigation team consisting of twenty A-rank individuals.]

"And then?"

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[There, they encountered a pack of War Hounds, engaged in combat, and then succeeded in defeating the boss. But according to them, the level of the monsters had risen incomparably from before.]

At the Association President's words, Ma Hakjun let out a sigh. The unease he had been feeling was, unfortunately, not unfounded.