Chapter 58: Whack-A-Mole

Unlike the monsters in the forest and the mindlessly violent fighters who were aiming for Zach's and the familiars' lives, the tasker was a sentient being who could talk, feel, and express their feelings to others.

Aside from its appearance, it was no different from a human. It was both a good and a bad sign that Zach could kill it with ease and seemingly without feeling too much guilt. The one thing that made it a tad bit more worrying was that the tasker had already been knocked out.

Technically, there was no need for Zach to kill it.

But the tasker and the Great Ugor had already expressed their hostility. Sometimes, killing people who could be reasoned with in other situations was necessary.

Zach also carried the responsibility and burden of being a summoner with a highly combat-capable S-rank familiar. He was the son of a Duke, too.

Sooner or later, he would come in contact with the action of ending another's life with his own hands.

What mattered was how it happened and how it affected Zach.

Fortunately, Zach seemed aware of the weight of life. Even if the tasker had been an enemy and the representative of someone who threatened Zach's life and the lives of his friends, Zach wasn't nonchalant about it.

That was all the principal needed to know.

As long as Zach didn't turn into a genocidal maniac or bloodthirsty murderer, there was nothing to worry about. Even if he did turn into a monster-like human, they just needed to control him and send him to the enemy and keep him away from people that they didn't want dead.

Easy.

"Good. It is as you told us the Great Ugor hinted about. The surface and the Underworld are at odds. It is more than a matter of resources, but that is one of the main reasons, and it's the only reason you guys are allowed to know. What matters is that the conflict is already too far gone to reach a peaceful conclusion."

"What exactly is the Underworld?" Zach asked.

"Are you done with the story?"

"After that, we walked around until we found our way out, so yeah." Searᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

The principal nodded.

"Simply put, the Underworld is a civilization underground. They have clearly divided roles based on birth as you might have noticed. Only underworlders from the fifth layer have names personally bestowed on them by the Great Ugor. Those with names also have more agency and freedom to do what they feel needs to be done."

"Are we just in an ongoing secret war with them?" As soon as the principal paused, Zach asked what he was curious about.

"...I guess you could say that."

"Hmph. It's more like we're playing whack-a-mole with them. Just like they were trying to corrupt the mountain essence into something more suitable for them, the underworlders continuously try to steal from or corrupt the surface. Whenever we discover them doing anything, we send someone to beat them down again." Kami spoke with disdain as he gave a straight answer to Zach's question.

"Wouldn't it be better to tell people about it then, so they know what to look for?" Zach looked at Kami. But the principal answered this time.

"While the underworlders certainly appreciate the surface not knowing about their antics, everyone who needs to know on the surface knows. The reason why children like you, commoners, or lesser nobles don't know is for two main reasons. Revealing it now would lead to needless panic that the Empire doesn't need."

The principal took a quick pause as he glanced at Julius and the Mannequin before continuing.

"The second reason is that we stand to lose more than we gain by exposing the Underworld to the surface. While the underworld energy certainly can have negative effects on humans, it is, in essence, not a lethal energy. Most people have fates similar to Julius where they're affected both physically and mentally. However, some people have an affinity for that kind of change.

"A change in temperament and personality is almost always unavoidable. But some have the innate ability to absorb and adapt to the underworld energy with minimal drawbacks."

"You mean…?"

The principal nodded as he could tell what the realization in Zach's eyes meant.

"That's right. Humans can become underworlders. And with how the underworld energy works, it's one of the easiest ways to grow stronger. As long as you can handle the energy, that is. If we tell the world, the Underworld and the Great Ugor can freely start recruiting humans who are desperate, out of luck, hateful, ambitious, or whatever else might make a man turn his back on his home."

"Then—"

"The Great Ugor isn't doing that because he can't afford it. He already has an army and a people to keep afloat with the resources he can find underground. He would lose more than he would gain by recruiting humans. Just like we would lose more than we gain.

That's why we have come to a tacit agreement to continue like this for now." The principal calmly interrupted Zach before he could ask an unnecessary question and finished his explanation of the Underworld and the current situation.

The situation wasn't overly complex. If anything, it was too straightforward. But Zach already knew there was more to the story than what the principal had told them.

The principal hadn't even told them much. He had said a lot and given some much-needed details. But the situation with the Underworld wasn't far from what Zach had already surmised based on the Great Ugor's words.

The difference was that Zach could trust the principal. He couldn't trust the Great Ugor as far as he could throw one of his totems.

"Any more questions, boys?"

Zach and Dukiel glanced at each other and then at Julius.

They shook their heads. They weren't curious about much more. They were still tired. Julius deserved a better place to sleep than the principal's sofa, even if it looked comfortable.

"If you do have any new questions, just go to the library. Now that you know about the Underworld, you know what to ask for. You will need to accompany Zach, though, Dukiel. The same goes for Julius. This isn't information first years have access to, originally."

Dukiel nodded. He already knew that Zach had gotten improved access to the library in exchange for the disastrous entrance ceremony.

After saying their goodbyes to the principal and instructor Kami, Zach and Dukiel picked up Julius, handed him to the Mannequin, and left the office.