Chapter 83: Sea Train (2)

Chapter 83: Sea Train (2)

༺ Sea Train (2) ༻

“The simulation has begun.”

“Video team, operating normally.”

“Artificial Demonic Creature team, operating normally.”

“Safety Countermeasure team, operating nor–”

Hatan U-Jul nodded as he heard the reports coming in one after the other near the situation room.

“They made it well.”

Such words came out with a satisfied voice.

From the perspective of someone who had directly hunted High-Grade Demonic Creatures, he was confident that there was no one among the students who would realize that was fake.

Of course, it could seem a bit harsh for inexperienced kids who most likely had no real combat experience, but...

‘True talent only emerges when a person is pushed to their limit.’

The name, Forge of Struggle, of itself was given with the intention of exposing students to the most merciless environment possible.

Wasn’t it natural that steel became stronger the more it was hammered?

In that perspective, the current virtual simulation was satisfying enough to make Hatan smile.

“You know, I can’t get used to this every time I see it.”

His smile disappeared as soon as he heard the voice coming from beside him.

A woman grinning with half-closed eyes.

Although the surroundings were filled with people dressed in outfits that exuded a barbaric feel unique to the Tribal Alliance, this woman’s attire gave off an air of a civilized individual.

The following words also clearly reflected this difference.

“I can’t believe people who look like this are handling state of the art devices that would only be used in the Magic Tower. The Tribal Alliance becomes more bizarre of a place the more I see it.”

“...Chief Priest Tatiana.”

Hatan sighed and brushed his hand through his hair.

“Please, if you came to observe, could you just keep your mouth shut and watch?”

“Oh my.”

In response to the harsh words, the woman stuck her tongue out and slyly raised her hands.

From Hatan’s perspective, her appearance was so despicable that he wanted to punch her in the face right then and there,

“Aren’t you being too harsh? What did I do so wrong?”

Hatan’s expression sank even further.

“Then let me be straightforward right here and now.”

Compared to earlier, his words were now tinged with killing intent.

“I don’t like you, Chief Priest. Consider it a stroke of luck that you haven’t immediately died at my hands considering what you did to Alan.”

“...”

“He was my friend. He may be as stupid now as he was back then, but still, he was brave, he knew honor, and he was a warrior who fought fairly.”

“...”

As Tatiana continued to grin without a response, Hatan’s frosty voice continued to pour out.

“He wasn’t someone who would do something as insane as challenging the Chieftain, who was properly ruling the Alliance, out of the blue, cutting off three of her limbs, and even annihilating her entire clan.”

That was exactly what happened.

He proceeded to duel with Kasa Garda, who had the respect and admiration of all warriors, and despite everyone’s opposition, he had cut off all three of her limbs. Hatan’s words were all true.

All of this happened after this woman became known as the Chief Priest of his tribe.

Moreover, the ‘process’ of the duel itself...

‘...It was horrifying.’

Hatan gritted his teeth as he recalled the scene at the time.

It was by no means a duel that was conducted fairly.

To be more precise, it was too disgraceful to even call it a duel; Instead, it was a ‘massacre’.

After all, aside from the duel participant, the majority of Kasa Garda’s clan were murdered on that day.

“All Chieftain Alan has done is ascended to a position to rule the Tribal Alliance in accordance to a fair duel. He is suitable in both authority and legitimacy. Don’t you think so?”

“...”

As such, the limits of his patience were being tested by not punching this woman who nonchalantly spoke such bullshit.

Instead of responding to her, Hatan continued with his next orders to the personnel in the situation room.

“...Track the vital signs of the guys on the train.”

“Roger!”

Given the technological capabilities of the Tribal Alliance, obtaining this level of information from everyone there shouldn’t be too difficult.

Besides, this process was essential for them. After all, vital signs revealed a vast amount of information.

It made preventing accidents easier and allowed them to assess how cool-headed an individual was when handling this situation.

Those were the guys with a low heart rate, minimal fluctuations of emotions, and quick decision-making abilities.

As long as a real Demonic Creature’s heart was inserted, there was no way to remotely shut it down.

The only way was for him to enter the simulation site and take it out himself.

However, there would certainly be casualties during the time he took to enter.

As Hatan’s expression contorted at such a thought...

“Just a moment, War Chief! Something’s strange!”

“What?”

“We’re detecting a massive energy!”

Someone in the situation room shouted as such.

“Massive energy? What-”

And before Hatan could even finish his sentence...

-!

-!

-!!

A ‘Grey’ aura...

Explosively flooded out from within the train.

From a glimpse between the gaps of the broken train, it seemed as if two women, with their swords drawn, had shot out a blow from that very spot.

“What in the...!”

At the same time someone let out such a shout...

The entire screen went blank.

“...Are you alright?”

I had to confirm that first.

Looking at the stunned Riru, who I ended up embracing in my arms, it seemed her condition was fine.

Actually, it was a countermeasure I thought of on the spur of the moment.

The ‘Stigmata’ skill, which used all available means to boost Endurance, had even completely blocked Kasa’s strike.

I had generated that in the right spot to ‘collide’ with Riru and I caught her falling body mid-air before escaping from the Demonic Bird’s attack trajectory.

It was probably the best way to protect someone who couldn’t change directions in mid-air.

I didn’t know about defeating the Demonic Bird, but at the very least, there wasn’t a better plan than this if my aim was to protect her. Moreover, it actually succeeded as well.

“...”

Yeah.

The problem was that I succeeded.

As cold sweat broke out, I turned my head towards the direction of the approaching footsteps while ‘still holding Riru in my arms’.

“...I came because I heard your voice from above.”

Eleanor sheathed her sword as she spoke.

I alternated my gaze between making sure her sword went back into her scabbard and the aftermath of the ‘strike’ that she had unleashed.

The ceiling of the train that had received her strike first was cut more cleanly than expected.

Of course, I wasn’t trying to say that the chunk of ply metal that wasn’t even the main target of the strike was fine. It had been blasted away by it, after all. I was just saying that because it was in a way better state than the thing that had actually received that strike behind it.

The strike, which extended straight upwards from inside the train, sliced through a portion of the train like tofu and continued extending.

Then it practically turned the High-Grade Demonic Bird in its path into dust, shattering it into ‘fragmented pieces’.

And it extended for a long while before even demolishing the ‘outer wall’ in the form of a dome that was enclosing this simulation set.

Thanks to that, the sky could actually be seen now. It was to the extent that seagulls could be seen between the sparks from the wires sticking out of the broken outer wall.

“I came thinking I needed to rescue you as quickly as possible in such an emergency situation.”

And...

If I was unlucky, I might end up being hit by an attack of that magnitude.

Eleanor spoke with a bleak expression.

“Who is that woman?”

Together with that voice, I looked at the window that came out right in front of my eyes.

System Message

[ Corruption Value of target ‘Eleanor’ has increased by 50%! ]

[ The target enters a state of ‘suspicion’! ]

[ During the ‘suspicion’ state, the rate of increase in Corruption Value is doubled! ]

“...”

Who was the guy who said that there wouldn’t be any risk of me dying before we got to the school grounds?

I swear I’ll fucking kill him.

You can rate/review this serieshere.

Illustrаtiоns on our discord – discord.gg/genesistls