Academy’s Dark Perspective - Chapter 343



Only Krnovel

Academy Dark Curtain Viewpoint Episode 343

Aaron’s private mansion.

The first thing Serena noticed when she got there was Aaron sitting blankly on his chair with his eyes closed.

Next to Aaron, Ciel was holding his arm and continuing some unknown action.

“S, sir… … !!”

The moment she saw that sight, Serena’s legs gave out and she almost collapsed. However, she was barely able to pull herself together when she realized the presence of the packed lunches in both hands.

Ciel looked at the face of the new visitor and let out a sigh as if to say, ‘This was bound to happen.’

Of course, Serena’s eyes could only see Aaron. She put down the lunch bag she had packed on both sides and approached Aaron.

“Sir, I’m here! Open your eyes!”

“… … .”

Of course, Aaron didn’t answer.

Serena continued to breathe quietly with her eyes closed, seemingly unaware of his presence. It was truly strange, however, that she did not appear to be sleeping.

Serena asked in a puzzled voice.

“Why… why is it like this?”

“It’s because the replacement rate has become too high… … .”

Ciel explained what happened in the last fight.

The fact that Aaron had been forcibly increasing the replacement rate with modules of unknown origin in order to defeat the Sky Dragon, and was losing his personality as a result.

“To borrow Miyu’s words… … she said that it was practically ‘brain dead’… … Until recently, she was able to converse relatively normally, but recently, her symptoms suddenly worsened… … .”

“Well, is there no way?”

“There is hope… … … .”

Ciel answered with a face that seemed very unconfident, unlike the ambassador.

“Technically, Miyu is researching a method to capture a human soul by applying the method of extracting the essence of [mystery]… … It’s not simply a data-based cloned personality, but finding and protecting the human ego and essential soul. However… … .”

Ciel continued speaking, looking at Aaron’s side profile with his eyes closed.

“As you know, Mr. Aaron’s soul does not originally belong to the owner of this body, but to someone from another world.”

“… … The person who has the ice.”

“Yes. So we are trying different methods at the same time.”

“Another way?”

“Necromancing.”

Necromancing.

Serena couldn’t help but open her eyes wide because she knew what it was.

“In the original world, necromancing is the protagonist’s technique that combines magic and hacking techniques. It is a method of overcoming security vulnerabilities in mechanical devices with magic, or conversely, exploiting biological flaws in magical creatures using hacking techniques.”

“I, I know that. But how are you going to fix Mr. Aaron by using that?”

“Mr. Aaron, most of your body is now a machine. So somewhere in the only remaining part of your brain, there must be a self that can be called a ‘soul.’ We need to find that.”

The soul and the ego are areas of information that cannot be reached through general deep diving.

However, their current thinking was that with the wizard’s ability to swim through logic circuits and the magic that manipulates souls and magical powers, they might be able to find the ‘soul’ that human technology had not yet been able to reach.

“Actually, Evangeline would be much more skilled in this area, but unfortunately… … Yes.”

Moreover, no one knew what happened to Dwindrog, who had fought alongside Aaron, immediately after the Sky Dragon was defeated.

It is assumed that he died from being caught in the magic of the Sky Dragon, but it is not certain since no such thing as a dragon’s corpse has been found.

If he were here, I wonder if he could have gotten some help with the dragon’s powerful magic… … Well, it’s pointless to regret it now that it didn’t work out.

“… … Is there anything I can do?”

“… … Then, would you please ‘speak’ to me?”

“word?”

“Yes. Originally, Airi was going to do it instead, but due to circumstances, she won’t be able to come for a while… … .”

“… … !”

Serena’s expression crumpled at that.

What the hell. Where on earth is that kid doing? The person he said he ‘liked’ is suffering like this, and what is so important that he’s just throwing her away and wandering off somewhere else… I just couldn’t understand it.

Ciel added urgently, reading Serena’s expression and her thoughts.

“I, I can’t help it! I can’t tell you for security reasons, but Airi is also working very hard for Aaron right now… … .”

“No matter how important it is! What good is it if you’re not there at a time like this? If only you knew how much Aaron put into that child… …!”

Serena was furious, but quickly tried to control herself.

“Okay. If she can’t do it, I can do it. If I think about it, I have no right to blame her. I’m only thinking of coming to see you now.”

“Three, Serena.”

“Okay, let’s begin.”

“……All right.”

Ciel reluctantly nodded and connected his wire to Aaron’s socket.

“Talk to Aaron while I dive into his circuits. Stimulate his soul so that the signal it sends grows louder and I can find it.”

“OK got it.”

Serena crossed her arms and knelt down in front of Aaron. She gently stroked his cheek and muttered.

“… … I will definitely help you open your eyes again.”

* * *

Someone covered in blood enters Miyu’s studio. As soon as he steps in, a terrible smell of blood spreads.

His true identity is none other than Airi.

Her pure white hair and skin were stained with the monster’s fluids. How many monsters must she have killed for her waterproof armor to become so bloody?

After finishing today’s fight, Airi’s eyes still sparkled sharply as if she were in the middle of a battlefield.

Airi threw the bag containing the materials she had collected today on the floor and laid down in her pod.

Miyu often approaches her with walking steps and looks at her with worried eyes.

“Ah, Airi… … .”

“Miyu. Please. Don’t say anything… … .”

“… … .”

Miyu hesitates for a moment, then goes into the studio, clutching her bag and fumbling with it. Airi watches her from behind for a moment, then lies down, leaning her head against the port.

I know that Miyu is worried about me and that’s why she’s acting like that. But right now, I don’t even want to hear those worried words of comfort. If I do, I feel like my resolve that I’ve barely managed to build up will crumble.

As she waited with her eyes closed, the pod closed and hundreds of robotic arms surrounded her. They quickly repaired her battle-damaged body by inserting needles into her body, connecting electrodes, and soldering.

Conversely, removing the broken arm, covering up the area where the skin had peeled away to reveal the titanium alloy subcutaneous armor, replacing the destroyed mechanical internal components, and replacing the worn-out batteries… … .

Normally, if they just rested enough, the nanomachines in their bodies would automatically repair the damaged parts, but they didn’t have time for that.

Instead of waiting for the modules to regain their original abilities while resting, the damaged parts were forcibly restored through physical action.

In other words, it is a method of forcibly making a wound that would otherwise heal without treatment into a state where it can move immediately by stitching it up with thread, gluing it, and administering medication.

“Ugh, ugh… … !”

Of course, this was a very painful process for the adaptor, and it also had severe side effects. It was a method that was better not to attempt unless the modular skills were exceptional.

Still, Iri decided to endure.

Cheeeeeeek-!

A thin mechanical arm pulls the module out of Iri’s socket. The module chip is charred and belches smoke, perhaps due to the overload.

‘What module was that…?’

Airi looked at the module chip that the mechanical arm was carrying and remembered.

– This is a module that greatly reduces the period of use instead of increasing defensive performance. The production period has also been shortened. Personally, I absolutely do not recommend using it… … .

-I’ll use it.

Oh yeah.

It’s the item that Miyu had told me to be careful of when using due to its overload rate. Today, the battle became fierce and the overload rate went up a lot, so it ended up breaking.

It was a module that was roughly level 3 or 4, but it was a shame. I lost a module in a situation where I needed to raise the replacement rate and overall output level even a little.

But that regret was short-lived, as the mechanical arms once again brought in new module chips. Just before inserting them into Iri’s socket, a warning window popped up before Iri’s sight.

—–

[Module Information: A17 for strengthening the heart muscle (Open▼)]

[Module Information: T281 for Neuron Reinforcement (Open▼)]

… … …

… … …

[Biomonitor after module installation (Open ▼)]

[Do you agree to install the module? Y/N]

—–

Originally, Miyu would personally explain to her about the module’s dangers, precautions after installation, usage, and changes in replacement rate, but she changed it to this method at Airi’s request the day before yesterday.

Iri just glanced over the instructions and then clicked agree to install all the modules.

Soon, new modules were inserted into her sockets, and Airi convulsed as electricity coursed through her body.

“Ugh, euaaaaaaah!!”

“Ah, Airi! Wait! Stop now-.”

“Ugh… … Okay, okay! Just do it!”

Iri gritted her teeth and endured the pain.

Every time the module was inserted, an indescribable feeling of discomfort and nausea came over me, but I ignored it. After the surgery was over, as soon as the pod opened, Iri got up.

“Haa… … Haa… … I’ll be back… … .”

“Hey, wait a minute! Where are you going!?”

“Those guys from earlier, I couldn’t finish them off. They reproduce quickly, so if I don’t deal with them properly, all the hard work I did today will be in vain… … .”

“No! I can’t stand this any longer!”

Miyu shouted, blocking her way.

“You promised me! Instead of adding new modules every day, you’ll come back and get them serviced! And you’ll get plenty of rest just while you’re getting serviced! Why aren’t you keeping your promise!? Airi, do you know how pushing yourself like this will affect you later!?”

“… … Get out of the way, Miyu.”

“No! If you keep going like this, I won’t make any more Airi modules! I won’t even service them!”

In response to Miyu’s threat, Airi looked at her face quietly and answered dryly.

“… … Really? Okay. Then there’s nothing I can do.”

“Ah, Airi!?”

“There are only three days left, so it’ll be okay. I’ll just fight carefully with what I have now.”

“Please! Don’t you know how worried the other members are about Airi right now!”

“Then what do you want me to do? What can I do!?”

Airi couldn’t hold it in any longer and screamed.

Miyu, startled by the loud noise, flinched and stepped back. Only then did Airi come to her senses and apologized, covering her face.

“I’m sorry. But I can’t help it… … .”

Airi is about to pack her gear and leave.

Miyu asks her.

“Why… … Why are you trying to shoulder it all alone… … ? Not only Airi, but the others are also out fighting every day, barely able to rest, so why do you try to handle it all alone… … .”

“No, that kind of thing.”

I just hate myself.

The fact that I can’t do anything.

I have always been unable to do anything.

“I’ve always received help from that person. So I decided to become stronger, and on ‘that day’, I temporarily became stronger with the modules that he brought. I was happy after equipping it, thinking, ‘Now I can stand side by side with him.’ But when the crisis came, I collapsed after using one module. I couldn’t do my best, and in the end, that person made me do it too hard.”

“The opponent was a dragon! It was a situation where there was nothing anyone could do except Mr. Aaron!”

“That doesn’t change the fact that I didn’t do anything right.”

Iri continued with a bitter expression.

“I lost my parents when I was a newborn. I was poor and not an adaptable person, so I had to be unilaterally informed of my brother’s death. And now that the other party is a dragon, I couldn’t help it. Ha, there’s no end to the excuses, right?”

“… … !”

“There’s no such thing as being helpless, Miyu. I just wasn’t prepared. I wasn’t prepared enough to risk my life and do something.”

Iri let out a laugh.

“But you know, Miyu. I’m getting stronger now. Is it because I fight every day risking my life, or is it because of the modules and equipment you made for me… … I’m getting stronger every day, to a degree that’s incomparable to a month ago. Yesterday, I took down four Titans by myself. Isn’t that amazing? Even when I was a freshman, I was shaking and couldn’t do anything.”

“Please, Iri… … .”

“No, I’ll beg you, Miyu. Please, just two days… … Just two days, no matter what I say, please… … Please… … .”

“… … .”

Miyu couldn’t say anything at the sight of Iri’s expression.

and…….

“thank you.”

Airi thanked Miyu for her silence and headed back to the battlefield.

* * *

Taang-!

A single gunshot kills the monsters.

Boom-!

Monsters die with one kick.

Phew-!

Monsters die with one push.

Kill, kill, and kill again.

After painting the ground with blood and bodily fluids, I quickly check the map and move on to the next area.

For efficiency, routes should not overlap with other members.

Also, after the argument with Miyu, he didn’t come back and kept fighting. He felt like he really wouldn’t be able to bear it if he saw Miyu’s face again.

They fight, fight, and fight again.

Now I feel like I’ve become really strong.

As I told Miyu, I’ve become skilled enough to catch even the highest-level creatures with just my skills, without the help of any active modules.

But it was still not enough.

This is not even close to Aaron’s feet. At best, it’s close to the feet of the Lexus guy who is hospitalized.

Normally, this would have been over with just one swing of Aaron’s sword or one swipe of his thread. He was weak and couldn’t even reach Aaron’s toes, so he had no choice but to work harder to make up for his lack of strength.

You have no choice but to fight longer, fight harder, fight without rest, fight, fight, fight, fight, and fight again.

My blood-soaked clothes smelled like rot, and my whole body felt heavy as if it was covered in iron, but there was nothing I could do about it.

Iri kept fighting, moving around the battlefield like a single ghost.

Just two days.

It was to show results within that time.

The only thing that filled my heart was the belief that if I could just endure this pain for this moment, everything would end.

How long did they fight like that?

The last three days were spent fighting for 72 hours straight without any rest. Aside from replenishing bullets via drone, I spent my time searching for monsters, sparing no time to return to the city.

And the last day.

An email arrived for Iri.

“Ah, aaaaaaah, aaaaaaah!!”

She had no choice but to fall to her knees and scream.

The email contained information about her failure.