I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City - Chapter 86



85 – Sion Testarossa the Inheritor -1-

The Retrograde Praise Society and the Black Hand.

These two organizations, encountered periodically as the story progresses in Abyss City, woven into quests everywhere.

They are the group that issued Judas’ silver coin, that pitch-black coin Rohan stole from the elven elder and the Doberman, and a place where it can be spent.

Its no exaggeration to say that the entire underworld revolves around these two groups, which possess overwhelming force.

The heads of notorious crime syndicates? No matter how high they fly, they have no true freedom.

Dig deep enough, and without exception, their lives are held by these two groups.

Once a criminal organization grows in name and size, a behemoth impossible to resist emerges from the shadows.

They are then forced into the position of a subordinate organization.

There are those who pledged loyalty for what they desired, and those who bowed their heads to survive though they didn’t want to.

But this isn’t a dominion built solely on fear and violence.

It’s true that refusing an offer from the Reversed Praise Society, or the Black Hand, means you’ll be minced into meat and returned to the earth.

But it’s not a simple case of those below being exploited without end.

More often than not, the higher-ups remain indifferent to lower organizations, and when they do use them, they offer something they’d truly covet.

That coveted condition.

This man here is the one who holds psychological leverage over those with physical defects or peculiar desires.

His lab is a quiet place where a human voice might be heard once a year, if that.

But by chance, today was the day that silence broke.

“Hex, sir.”

The familiar voice of his subordinate.

The gaunt man, who had been focused on the monster husk inside the test tube, slowly turned his head.

His face, framed by cold glasses, sported pointed ears that identified his species, but his expression was vacant. Unreadable. Empty of all things.

“A report regarding the Testarossa lineage.”

“…”

The subordinate knelt and offered the report.

A hand moved to receive it.

The skin of Hex, visible beneath his clothes, shifted from translucent to opaque with each movement. Fleeting glimpses of bone and the flow of blood.

In some places, only the ripples of muscle beneath his skin were visible.

It was enough to infer the state beneath Hex’s clothing. That deeper inside, past skin, even his organs would be visible.

Hmm

After receiving the report. Heks, having wiped his glasses and put them back on, lightly checked the attached photos.

Having read the text and grasped the situation, Heks didn’t look the least bit interested.

Only boredom was evident.

“They were a bunch of stiff-headed fools, so I didnt expect much. But I didnt expect them to die without even accomplishing the bare minimum.

If you give the order, we will begin the pursuit of Testarossa.

Heks, expressionless, stared at his subordinates loyalty before putting the report down.

There was no body among the burnt corpses that could be identified as Testarossa. The bodies died from gunshot wounds. The culprits did not take any valuables, and after committing the murders, they fled.

The general situation was clear. This was one of the outcomes Heks had anticipated.

If he fled to Tigrova, that’s under the protection of Emperor Snow Leopard. Once there, he could move to another country but it would be the same.

Heks was guessing what sort of process would occur if Sion Testarossa visited Tigrova.

Recapturing the Testarossa lineage that hadn’t even bloomed? He wanted to find them if possible, but it was not a good trade-off to provoke the Emperor Snow Leopard.

That would be a great loss.

The trash that boasted about raising Testarossa as a weapon and finding the Snow Leopard Emperors weakness, he was half-certain they would fail, so they were expendable.

But his own subordinates moving is different.

Provoking the monster sitting in Tigrova requires a more justifiable profit.

“Don’t be swayed by emotion. It’s inevitable to have one failed diversification. And this is barely a failure, really. You understand, yes?”

Yes!

Heks opened a test tube, and continued to examine it with tweezers.

The subordinate waited for the action to cease before speaking.

Hex, sir. And this is separate news.

Report.

The current first-year students at Orion Academy are scheduled to leave for an uninhabited island.

Next came the report.

Hex, who had shown no interest in the previous news, displayed a flicker of it this time.

A face that said, this is more interesting.

A gesture recognizing the Monolith anomaly. Indeed, a fitting procedure.

The reason why the Reverse Praise Society, who should be focused solely on their goal, is taking an interest in an academy nurturing seedlings is also clear.

The former General of Samhwa Nation, the successor of the Cheonwaicheon Enterprise, the youngest daughter of the Tigrova Ruler, and so on.

A plethora of important figures whose locations need to be continually tracked.

Hmm

The value of the students attending Orion Academy. Its a different caliber from Sion Testarossa, who has no power nor a family to threaten.

Therefore, they are coveted.

I can guess why they boldly announced the use of an uninhabited island to the outside.

It’s practically impossible to perfectly control such information. If that’s the case, it’s better to openly disclose it and draw the attention of the great figures worried about their children, which would also become an intangible shackle for lawbreakers.

Either way, it’s a declaration that they will watch the shadows from the light.

The academy will do its best to build up defenses, but, considering the future, this is worth exploiting.

Good. This matter might be worth discussing with Omega.

For now, there’s no need for Hex himself to voluntarily intervene.

Another head directing the Reversal Hymn Society.

If it’s an Omega with a bad history with the former General of Samhwa, they might move, even at a loss, if given conditions by me.

“Tell them the skin graft for the Omega is prepared.”

“Yes!”

At Hex’s command, his subordinate vanished like smoke.

*

And don’t forget to stick to the main roads as much as possible. Don’t travel late at night trying to get there faster. Once the sun sets, find a place to stay and sleep early.

You’re treating me like a little kid.

‘Yeah, this part’s the best to hear. If only my voice was cut out it’d be perfect.’

Sion had plugged a charger into the outlet and was repeatedly listening to the recorded phone call.

He hadn’t bothered to count how many times he’d listened, it was meaningless.

He just kept listening.

Of course, there was another call from Rohan after he finished at the Academy.

And a call from Clara who had safely returned to the Academy City.

Most recently, Rohan, having finished his work, had called together with Clara.

“…”

Sion wanted to be there too. He wanted to talk in the same space.

He was curious what kind of place the bookstore Rohan worked at was like. He wanted to see for himself that historic shop where he met Clara.

Reminding himself that he couldn’t right now made him feel strangely shaky.

‘Why am I so cold? Is it because I’ve entered Tigrova?’

Of course, inside the train, the temperature was regulated.

But looking outside, the world was pure white with snow.

Shi-on, chilled by a feeling more than the cold, pulled out Rohans jacket he’d been keeping safe.

He zipped it up, then sniffed the collar. The loneliness eased a little.

[The Sky Train will soon be arriving at Tigrova. Passengers, please remain seated and fasten your seatbelts.]

‘Finally.’

It was the announcement he’d waited so long for.

Shi-on double-checked his seatbelt, and waited patiently. The ground visible through the window grew steadily closer.

The train lurched and rattled! As its wheels hit the ground, spraying snow, the announcement continued once more.

[The Sky Train has landed at Tigrovas Snowfang Valley. Thank you.]

Seeing the other passengers getting up to gather their belongings, Shi-on also rose from his seat.

He followed the line of descending passengers, and stepped onto the ground. The crisp, cool air filling his lungs felt good.

Click!

As proof of his arrival, he took a picture of the station, posted it to the group, and began to walk.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

He stepped through the piled-up snow towards the building.

A completely different architectural style than the academy city.

Taking his time, it could be a pretty enjoyable experience, but Shi-on, having briefly lived in Tigrova before, was just focused on finding his way.

‘To get to the White Tiger Palace in the capital’

He’d need to take another train, but the building was huge and it was unclear which way to go.

Should I try to find an information desk?

The floor, slick with melted snow tracked in by passenger’s soles.

Squelching, each step echoing in the wet.

It was then, abruptly, that Sion realized nobody else was in this vast building.

*Click!* She opens her bag and, without hesitation, pulls out her weapon.

Assembly is instant, and the stillness is shattered.

*CRACKK-THUDD-THUD!*

Ice explodes before Sion, instantly blossoming into a colossal bud.

Then, naturally, it bursts open, disgorging armored beastmen and a white-furred fox beastwoman with a fan.

‘Those beastmen?!’

Two faces Sion had been sick of seeing during her Tigrova investigations.

Figures practically nobody could not know, even outside Tigrova’s borders.

The most lavishly armored man and the woman with the fan approached Sion.

I am Argent Blizzard, Captain of the White Tiger Palace Guard.

And I’m Yuho, Chief Administrator.

!!!

Yuho observes Sion, rendered speechless with shock, then offers a gentle smile.

She nods to the Captain, a sign of approval, then respectfully.

Steps to the side, creating a path towards the blooming ice flower. She made a path for Sion, to ride.

“Came to escort you.”