Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 51
Milo knew very little about Grave.
Everything he asked about was classified.
But one thing was certain.
Grave was absurdly strong.
Grave had single-handedly subdued seven demon knights, broken through a rift alone, and neutralized six Republic knights without taking a scratch.
There weren’t many professors as powerful as Grave, let alone members of the Security Corps.
And his opponent was the captain of Team 18. Even a direct confrontation would see Grave winning for certain.
So why resort to an ambush—?
“You coward!”
“I’ll teach you some manners!”
Angry captains surged forward. Grave smiled with satisfaction and brushed off his hands.
Watching that expression, Milo understood.
‘He deliberately ambushed to provoke them.’
If Grave had fought Kureen head-on and won overwhelmingly, the other captains likely wouldn’t have stepped forward—the gap in strength would’ve been obvious.
He’d clearly ambushed them on purpose to bait the other captains too.
And it had worked. Several captains had taken the bait.
“Milo. Lock the door.”
“Yes, sir!”
Milo bolted out and locked the Cafeteria door firmly shut.
“What are you—”
“Now then, let’s begin in earnest.”
Grave began moving for real.
There was no way the Security Corps could stand against him.
More than twenty security personnel were all dealt with faster than a stew could cool.
“Now, you’ve all come under Team 42.”
“W-what do you mean by that—?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. You’ve been absorbed by Team 42. Any complaints?”
“No! No! Not at all!”
The captains hastily shook their heads. Since it was lunchtime, there were four captains in the Cafeteria.
By Grave’s logic, Team 42 had just absorbed four teams.
For Milo, it was a familiar method. Forced consolidation through force—the way street organizations typically operated.
The only question was whether it would work on the Security Corps.
‘Why wouldn’t it?’
The elite Security Corps was a ragtag assembly. Each team operated independently except when absolutely necessary.
The Security Chief rarely interfered unless something truly demanded it. He only stepped in when someone threatened Security operations.
Even if Grave forcibly absorbed another team through combat, the Security Chief wouldn’t immediately intervene.
Only if it disrupted operations would he then step in and remove Grave.
But if it didn’t disrupt anything—if anything, efficiency improved—the Security Chief wouldn’t interfere.
“Now, everyone on your feet.”
Grave gestured to the captains. They exchanged nervous glances and shakily stood up.
“You’ve lost the wager. Any objections?”
“Yes! Ambushing us like cowards!”
The Team 18 captain, first to charge, bellowed in protest. Milo quietly said a prayer for him.
Grave thumped the Team 18 captain methodically.
“Still objecting?”
“Ack!”
“Good. Here’s what you’ll do: every day, you’ll file support requests designating Grave to Team 42, and once roll call ends, you’ll report each shift to Hanswell. Simple, right?”
The captains hastily nodded, relieved it wasn’t something worse.
But there was still a problem.
Right now, the captains had charged because they didn’t know how strong Grave was, but once word spread that he’d defeated them, no one else would dare challenge him.
That’s when Grave asked casually.
“But you don’t find it unfair that only you’re getting beaten?”
“…?”
“If things stay like this, the other teams will mock you—call you the teams that lost to a Team 42 rookie.”
The captains visibly flinched. Grave continued in an insinuating tone.
“We should bring the other teams in too, don’t you think?”
The captains eagerly nodded.
“You have admirable camaraderie. I approve.”
Grave smiled with satisfaction, his lips curling upward.
* * *
“…What?”
Henderson, captain of Team 39, squinted.
His second-in-command spoke urgently. “A Team 42 rookie is going around the Security Corps absorbing teams!”
“Absorbing teams? What nonsense is that?”
“Breaking the Captain, they call it. Duels with teams on the line.”
“Breaking the Captain? What kind of stupid—And what does a rookie have to wager?”
“Not anymore, sir.”
“Not anymore?”
“Six teams have already come under him!”
Henderson struggled to follow the conversation.
He’d heard the Team 42 rookie was exceptional, but absorbing teams? And six teams had already submitted? What was happening here?
Then the door opened roughly. A tall man entered, his gaze cold as a wolf’s.
Following him came Milo, Team 42’s troublemaker, stepping in with a swagger. The usually scowling Milo was now grinning ear to ear, clearly delighted.
Milo pointed at Henderson.
“That’s Henderson, captain of Team 39.”
The man strode toward Henderson, who flinched at the pressure.
“W-what brings you here?”
“I’ve come to propose a duel.”
“…A duel?”
“Right. Each team on the line. Winner takes the loser under his command.”
Henderson realized his second-in-command’s report was true.
Duels with teams wagered—
“Why would I engage in something so crude?”
“Beat me, and you get six teams at once.”
The man gestured behind him. Several captains with bruises were already crowding into the room.
Six of them. The absorbed teams were real.
Six teams, all at once—
Henderson swallowed hard. It was certainly an appealing offer.
But he wasn’t stupid.
If the man had six teams, it meant he was strong enough to have defeated six team captains.
“I refuse. Dueling over teams is crude, and I won’t participate in such barbarism.”
Henderson declined firmly.
“Oh, refusing, are we? You’re terrified.”
“That’s not it—”
“Team 39 Captain Henderson declines to fight!”
The man announced to those behind him. The captains lined up immediately thrust their thumbs downward, jeering.
“Boooo! Coward Henderson!”
“Refusing such an offer! He’s finished!”
“No wonder he’s losing his hair!”
“Boooo! Baldly!”
Assailed by such crude insults, Henderson felt dizzy.
“N-no, I’m not afraid. I simply see no reason to—”
“Booooo, coward baldie Henderson!”
“It’s not—”
“Boooo! May your hair fall out!”
Then the man raised his hand. The captains fell silent at once, standing at attention.
“If you’re that nervous, I’ll fight with one hand.”
“…I’m not nervous. I simply refuse to engage in such crude dueling.”
“One hand isn’t enough? Then I’ll use only my index finger.”
The man wiggled his long index finger.
At that point, Henderson couldn’t help but be tempted.
“Really? You mean it?”
“I swear it on my father’s name.”
With his father’s name sworn, Henderson felt his resolve waver.
No matter how strong the man was, surely he couldn’t lose to a single finger.
But something about it still felt off.
“Henderson won’t even fight a finger! Coward!”
“Boooo! Coward baldie!”
But faced with another wave of jeers, Henderson had no choice but to accept. If he backed down now, his reputation in the Security Corps was finished.
Right, it’s just one finger. How could he lose?
“Fine. Keep your promise.”
“Of course. Now, I’ll count to three, then we start. One.”
Henderson straightened his back and prepared himself.
He planned to charge on two, before three was called.
Cowardly or not didn’t matter. All that mattered was winning.
“Three.”
…Wait, what about two?
Henderson panicked for a moment but tried to stay calm.
After all, the opponent could only use his index finger—
Then the man’s index finger pointed at Henderson.
“Fireball.”
Henderson saw a massive ball of flame hurtling toward him and convulsed.
“You said only your finger—!!”
“I only used my finger?”
“But that’s magic—!”
Henderson’s protest was swallowed by the inferno.
* * *
‘…Am I getting old and seeing things?’
The Security Chief blinked wearily at the report. But no matter how many times he checked, the words remained the same.
Grave from Team 42 has consolidated seven Security Corps teams.
The name on the report was familiar.
The Team 42 rookie who’d been assigned as an instructor recently.
‘This is absurd.’
The Security Chief let out a hollow laugh.
Normally he’d have left it alone. Corps members brawling was hardly a rare occurrence.
But this one was different.
The Security Chief recalled the first time he’d seen Grave.
Most rookies were intimidated when meeting the Security Chief, avoiding his gaze. But this one didn’t look away—instead, he met the Security Chief’s stare even more directly. As if appraising him.
And now this same man was consolidating the entire Security Corps.
‘I need to cut him loose.’
Suspicious elements must be eliminated early.
Then someone knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
A middle-aged man entered, his hair long and swept back like a mane. His eyes held a savage glint that made the Security Chief rise from his seat.
This man was the Dean of Students, one of the five most powerful individuals at the academy.
“Dean, what brings you here?”
“Just stopped by to say hello. How have you been?”
The Dean of Students was ruthlessly calculating. This wasn’t a man who visited for pleasantries.
But the Security Chief didn’t show it and nodded.
“Well enough, as always. Just keeping the post secure.”
“That’s what real diligence looks like.”
The Dean of Students sat across from him and lit a cigar. Soon the acrid smoke filled the room.
“So, what’s your real purpose?”
“Still the impatient type, I see.”
The Dean of Students exhaled smoke slowly, shaking his head.
“Among the new Security Corps recruits—there’s one named Grave, yes?”
“Yes, there is.”
“Look after him for me.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
The Dean of Students appeared casual and loose, but he was sharp as a blade. He’d never once done anyone a favor.
For him to ask someone to be looked after was unprecedented.
“He’s my hometown junior.”
“Ah, I see. Understood.”
It was an absurd reason, but the Security Chief had no choice but to accept. The Dean of Students outranked him.
Just then, the office door burst open. A beautiful woman with a short red bob strode in.
Evelyn, captain of Team 42.
“Hey, chief—”
Evelyn stopped mid-sentence upon spotting the Dean of Students.
The Dean of Students drew deeply on his cigar while staring at Evelyn.
A suffocating, heavy silence stretched between them.
Finally, the Dean of Students stubbed out his cigar and greeted her.
“Long time, little one.”
Evelyn answered in an even tone.
“Long time, teacher.”
The Dean of Students’ weathered eyes deepened with wrinkles.
A tension so thick it seemed ready to burst filled the room.
‘But why in my office—?’
The Security Chief felt profoundly uncomfortable.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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