Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 63

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

Chapter 63
Rifts came in many varieties.
The labyrinth I’d entered before was the most basic structure of a C-Rank Rift. The lowest grade, C-Rank Rifts, were mostly labyrinth or dungeon formations.
Labyrinth and dungeon-type rifts were relatively straightforward to clear.
Monsters didn’t all surge forth at once, and the objective was clearly defined.
‘What kind of rift is this one?’
It was still early in the term, so this rift would likely be C-Rank as well. A dungeon formation seemed probable.
Then, gradually, my vision returned.
The first thing I saw was a pure white alley. A pristine alley, unmarred by a single blemish, stretched out to either side.
Running down the center of that snow-white landscape was a single golden line.
The moment I saw that golden line, my eyes couldn’t help but narrow sharply.
Ordinarily, rifts contained one of four fundamental worldviews at their core.
Aura, Black Magic, Magic, and Holy Power. Four attributes that formed the foundation of the world. This was called the Four Worlds.
Of the Four Worlds, Aura was the Ragnarok Continent.
The defining characteristic of the Ragnarok Continent was that conflict never ceased. It was a place where strength alone was law and truth.
Black Magic was the Demon Realm. The Demon Realm was the land of demons—a place where demons held dominion and demon lords existed.
Magic was Yggdrasil. Yggdrasil was an enormously vast forest composed of towers and books. It resembled a central library in structure, though on a completely different scale.
And Holy Power was the Holy Empire.
Pure white and gold were the hallmarks of the Holy Empire.
“This is the Holy Empire.”
“The Holy Empire?! Isn’t that supposed to be legend?!”
Andy’s eyes widened in astonishment as he asked. They gleamed with intense excitement.
“Wait, what’s the Holy Empire?”
“You don’t know about the Holy Empire?! It’s the place that earned the title of Empire thanks to its highly advanced Holy Power! I thought it was nothing but legend!”
Legend was accurate enough. To be precise, the Holy Empire didn’t belong to this worldview.
The Holy Empire was a nation of fanatics who didn’t merely worship divinity—they strove to reach the divine itself. The problem lay in their methods.
The faithful of the Holy Empire consumed what they called sacred relics—fragments of an outer god.
And through that, they were annihilated by the outer god.
“The Holy Empire defines all power save Holy Power as heresy. Never use Aura or Magic. Especially Magic—you must never use it.”
“What? Don’t use Aura? What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly as I say. If you’re caught using Aura, you’ll be branded a heretic.”
At that moment, a pure white figure emerged from the end of the alley.
The man wore a white robe, and a large Mace hung at his waist.
A Holy Knight of the Holy Empire.
These creatures don’t wear armor. They regard suffering as divine grace.
Behind him, two more figures in identical garb appeared.
All three walked toward us simultaneously.
Their strides were perfectly identical. Like machines.
The man in front looked me over from head to toe.
A shabby blue shirt, a costume that couldn’t help but stand out in this pure white world.
It was merely a difference in dress. Normally, that alone might prompt suspicion and questions.
But the Holy Empire was different.
They preferred swift and decisive methods.
Without warning, the man swung his Mace down with a keen glint.
‘True to form for the Holy Empire.’
Milo thrust his fist forward urgently.
Crack! His fist connected precisely with the man’s jaw.
It was a blow backed by considerable force. Most would have crumpled on the spot, but his opponent was a Holy Knight of the Holy Empire.
“Ooh-ouaa!!”
The man with the shattered jaw cried out, gurgling incoherently.
Then a brilliant white light engulfed him. His broken jaw healed rapidly.
Monstrous regeneration—a signature of the Holy Empire.
What was more disturbing was that these creatures actually enjoyed the pain.
“Gloriouuus!!”
The man burst into audible laughter.
“What the—”
Milo was taken aback but moved with steady composure. His technique had improved considerably since before.
Which made sense. I’d trained him specially.
However, his opponent was not alone. Three Maces bore down on Milo simultaneously.
The weapons didn’t clash with each other at all—they complemented one another flawlessly.
A group overwhelming a single opponent was another specialty of the Holy Empire.
This was what made the Holy Empire troublesome to face. When creatures that barely died came at you in numbers, it was nearly impossible to handle.
On the other hand, the matchups were clearly defined.
“Milo, fall back.”
“Yes.”
Milo retreated hastily. His face was slack with exhaustion.
The creatures pursued, rushing forward, their faces caked with blood yet grinning widely. The expressions were genuinely joyful.
I clicked my tongue and began chanting.
“Ice Spike.”
The Magic Stone in my hand rang out with a clear note and flared with light.
Almost instantly, a thick lance of ice shot from my fingertips. It was far too bulbous and long to be called an Ice Spike proper.
“Glory!!”
The man desperately summoned Glory. A brilliant white barrier of Holy Power erupted before him like a shield.
It was quite advanced Holy Power, but at the end of the day, it was still Holy Power.
Magic held the advantage over Holy Power.
The ice lance cleaved through the barrier effortlessly and embedded itself precisely between the man’s brows.
Because even the blood froze, not a single drop fell.
“An Ice Spike? What—”
Andy stared at me with eyes wide in alarm.
I could understand that. I was surprised myself.
Normally, within a rift, any attribute that opposes the rift’s primary attribute suffers penalty reduction.
Since this was the Holy Empire, my Magic stat should have been diminished.
But my Magic stat didn’t decrease—it actually increased.
My Luck Stat seemed to be at work.
‘Fortune smiles upon me.’
I muttered the tired joke silently and snapped my fingers.
More Ice Spikes shot forth. The remaining two creatures fell moments later.
Milo, who’d been staring at my hand slicing through empty air, asked flatly.
“…Didn’t you say not to use Magic or Aura?”
“I can.”
Milo’s mouth fell open, rendered speechless. I ignored him and looked down at the fallen creatures.
They lay with holes in their heads, all of them smiling.
‘A Four Worlds rift already.’
Even for Hard Mode, this seemed far too early.
But there was no use complaining about it.
Besides, it wasn’t entirely bad.
‘Four Worlds rifts offer better rewards.’
What you might call an experience event.
I found it satisfying enough to strip one of the corpses and pull on his outer robe. The material was quite fine.
“Change into one.”
“Pardon? Wearing the clothes of the dead seems a bit—”
Milo hesitated, his expression reluctant. Andy, now looking ashen, nodded in agreement.
“Isn’t wearing a dead man’s clothes preferable to becoming a dead man yourself?”
With that, Milo’s mood darkened. He stripped the corpse and handed a robe to Andy, then put on one himself.
“As you just saw, the people of the Holy Empire don’t ask questions if something seems even slightly off—they swing their Maces first. Speaking with a heretic is itself a sin.”
“Still, they don’t seem to be at a terribly high level.”
“Correct. Holy Knights of the Holy Empire are the weakest when compared at the same tier. The problem is their numbers.”
“Their numbers?”
“Yes. There are damn near endless amounts of them.”
“Endless amounts, you say—”
I didn’t bother answering and began walking. Milo and Andy followed.
“Finding your way through the Holy Empire is simple. Just follow the golden line drawn on the walls.”
“How do you know that?”
“Classified.”
“Well, I suppose I should have expected that.”
By following the golden line, we soon left the narrow alleyway behind.
Ahead lay a neat square. The square was packed with pure white figures. They all wore pristine white clothing, but—
What was disturbing was that every single one carried a Mace at the waist.
Adults, children, men, women, the elderly—all of them bore Maces.
“Every citizen of the Holy Empire is a Holy Knight.”
The monsters that appeared in the Holy Empire were weak individually, but their sheer numbers were sickening.
The real problem was that as time passed within a rift, the monsters that spawned grew stronger.
Combined with the Holy Empire’s inherent abundance of numbers, it created a terrible synergy. Difficulty ramped up exponentially as time went on.
We had to close the rift as quickly as possible.
Then a figure wearing a Gold Mask approached me.
A Gold Mask—clear evidence of high rank.
“I must verify your Holy Power.”
The creature spoke in a monotone voice. Instantly, everyone in the square froze as if someone had hit pause, all eyes turning toward us.
Dozens of Maces gleamed with an ominous light.
‘A spontaneous inspection.’
In the Holy Empire, Holy Power was mandatory. If I failed to demonstrate it here, I’d be branded a heretic immediately.
Every creature in the square would rush me.
Of course, that wouldn’t happen.
“Divine one—”
I carefully traced the Sign of the Cross.
Brilliant white light flared from my fingertips. The radiant display of Holy Power was so magnificent that the Gold Mask visibly shook.
“A high priest!”
“Indeed.”
“What an honor!”
The moment I gave a calm nod, the Gold Mask hastily lowered his posture.
Every creature in the square bowed toward me.
When dozens knelt simultaneously, I felt like an emperor.
But the Gold Mask was unnecessarily thorough.
The Gold Mask looked at Milo and Andy and asked.
“And these two?”
In the Holy Empire, proving one’s Holy Power was mandatory. I couldn’t refuse the inspection.
If Andy and Milo were caught unable to use Holy Power, it was finished.
However, there was one exception.
“They are my slaves.”
In the Holy Empire, being unable to wield Holy Power meant one wasn’t human. Therefore, slavery was legal in the Holy Empire. It was only natural that slaves couldn’t use Holy Power.
Milo and Andy glanced at me, but I brushed them off carelessly.
“Ah, I see. Understood. May divine grace be with you.”
The Gold Mask stepped back without further question.
Of course, I had no intention of simply letting him go.
“Wait. I need a mask.”
“Ah, I apologize. I have no spare—”
The Gold Mask replied as if genuinely troubled.
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Then remove yours.”
I pointed at the Gold Mask.
Behind me, Milo’s mouth fell open in shock, but the creature simply nodded obediently and offered up the Gold Mask.
I took it without hesitation and placed it over my face. The Gold Mask fit snugly.
“Does it suit me?”
“Yes, it suits you excellently, Your Eminence.”
The creature even clapped in response.
In the Holy Empire, Holy Power was law and authority. As long as this creature saw me as a high priest, he had no choice but to obey my commands.
“Tell me, have you ever seen a woman with pink hair?”
“I’m sorry, I haven’t.”
The creature shook his head without hesitation.
In the Holy Empire, lying is a grave sin. He genuinely seemed not to have seen her.
Of course, that wasn’t the answer I wanted.
“So you know nothing and that’s the end of it?”
“…Pardon?”
The creature blinked, bewildered, much like Milo would.
I clicked my tongue and asked again.
“Is knowing nothing the end of this?”
“Then perhaps—”
“Do I need to find her myself?”
“No, no! I shall search at once!”
Only then did the creature understand my meaning, and he scrambled into motion. I spoke to his retreating back.
“You’re moving slowly.”
The creature ran with even greater urgency.
Soon the square erupted into commotion.
I sat back at ease and waited.

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