The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]-Chapter 901: Outbreak Probability

Well, Luca thought it wasn’t so bad.

He could have gotten guns and the like, but that would have been against the Expo’s rules.

Then again, what use would they have for guns when fighting against corrupted goo? Nothing really.

So guns and other legally recognized weapons were currently out of the question.

While Rahil screamed inside his containment bubble without anyone noticing, the concerned little chipmunk spent a moment distributing what he had carefully considered earlier: particle saws.

His good brother benefited greatly from holding two whenever something bad happened. Luca had seen it himself. The grip tightened, the breathing stabilized, and suddenly his brother looked ten percent less like he was about to commit arson in self-defense. Based on this very scientific observation, Luca concluded that the others would likely find the same comfort.

At best, they could use the saws for protection against unexpected threats. At worst, it would help them feel better.

That alone made it worth it.

And really, how thoughtful was that?

Though, in hindsight, it might not have been the best idea to hand out particle saws when Theo looked like he needed a blood transfusion from sheer distress. The poor man was already pale, and watching Luca calmly suggest power tools like comfort objects did not improve his condition.

Especially not when Luca’s actual game plan was so insane that particle saws suddenly felt wildly insufficient.

In fact, it was probably a very good idea that Princess Kira had been ushered outside earlier. There was a strong chance she would not have survived hearing Luca’s plan. Not emotionally. Possibly not physically.

Because their guild leader’s solution was simple in concept and horrifying in execution. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

A three-step plan that required the intervention of exactly one system that had somehow freed its schedule for something it had deemed important.

That little system chimed cheerfully into existence.

"Host! I have completed a multi-layered outcome simulation given the Elders’ supplied information as well as the patient’s current condition!"

The projection sparkled, because of course it did.

"Please note that the results include optimism modifiers, emotional bias correction, and a small deduction for our inability to accurately determine his pain tolerance!"

Everyone stared.

"There is only a thirty-four percent chance of catastrophic failure. Twenty-six percent chance of survival with disappointment, and surprisingly, only a twenty-two percent chance of starting an outbreak!"

"What?!"

Theo practically stumbled forward.

"Luca," he exclaimed, his glasses sliding dangerously down his nose, "did D-29 really just say outbreak? Isn’t corruption non-contagious when it’s in this form?!"

The room held its breath.

The hesitant cadet named Luca reached up and brushed the back of his neck, eyes flicking away in a gesture that screamed discomfort and honesty in equal measure.

"Well," he said carefully, "I was hoping it wouldn’t be like that. But this looks more like active corruption."

That did not help.

"It’s just," Luca continued, trying to sound reassuring but failing anyway, "at the moment it seems to prefer staying cooped up inside the patient."

Even Doctor Philip couldn’t help but close his eyes at that.

The golden-eyed cadet looked over at the groaning Elven Prince because they tested it earlier. Whatever was occupying the elf’s body was no longer trying to eat up Elior’s reserves but had no issues taking on externally supplied spiritual energy.

It likely fed on him heavily before stabilizing, then switched priorities. Now it was content to leave Elior with just enough to survive.

And where had they seen such a thing?

One where Luca almost couldn’t identify just where to look, even when clearly there must be a source somewhere.

Oh, wait.

Wasn’t that so much like a parasite?

__

Unfortunately, yes.

And said parasite had one Imperial Crown Prince jerking his head in question as the Glacier of Solaris himself actually felt a chill creeping down his spine.

"...?"

But how could his heckles not be raised when his little wife, the love of his life, was trying to play a massively distressing game of pin the tail on the donkey as he tried to find out if his guess was correct.

Then again, if there was a certain unease outside, inside was a story of strangled screams as Luca took the first step of his plan to find out if something else was controlling this sudden mutation.

It was what he took away from Rahil talking about how the twin brother may have done something to the patient’s body that caused him to be in this state.

If so, it would be ideal to find exactly what it was.

And normally, they would have been as stumped as others. But Luca, an avid fan and collector of all things corruption, could not shake the fact that it felt too familiar, eerily similar to something they had just dealt with relatively recently.

The others honestly sounded hesitant, and the Elders were thinking the same. Technically, they had examined his core, and it appeared normal.

But that was assuming whatever that was had already joined with Elior’s core.

What if it had not?

What if it were simply living rent-free while enjoying an environment it had already tailored to itself?

It sounded like a crazy hypothesis. Scientists would likely think he was insane. But Luca could not help but be convinced that this possibility existed.

"Host, I believe I’ve narrowed it down to a few remaining possible areas." D-29 could be heard prompting while the others prayed with their emotional support saws.

Time was ticking for the patient, and it was difficult to remain particularly positive when it had been a while, and they still hadn’t gotten anything.

So imagine everyone’s surprise when Luca decided to start around the scar.

What followed was a chase no one wanted to relive, ending with a bright, ringing Aha that Theo would likely hear even at night.

"!!!"

But it was there.

And the source of their problem did not look like it wanted to give up without a fight.

However, it had made a critical mistake by tangling with a money-grubber obsessed with CP and cores. Because even if it tried to hide, it would be impossible to escape once identified.