Surviving the Assassin Academy as a Genius Professor - Chapter 135

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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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Chapter 135
Among the items that drop from the Sacred Scar Lucky Box, there exists something called the “Rune of Luck and Misfortune.”

It’s a rare item with drop rates of 10%, 1%, and 0.1% depending on rank—and when absorbed by a Player, this rune grants a massive boost to luck at specific moments. During enhancement attempts or gacha pulls, for instance.

So when users faced important enhancements with a risk of failure, they’d hoard Lucky Boxes to hunt for the “Rune of Luck and Misfortune.” I’d been a Player myself, so I’d had plenty of such experiences—but even for me, this was unprecedented.

□ [Rare] Extraordinary luck is now active!

□ [Heroic] Tremendous luck is now active!

After opening three Lucky Boxes in succession, a sphere shaped like “□” burrowed into my chest.

“…….”

As if foreboding something, something amiss.

EP29 – Humanity’s First Incursion, Aftermath (3) [Illustration]

Tomorrow would be the day we departed Kahula County. It was the evening before.
The Dante Assassination Unit, having been called to various places to aid in damage recovery, had returned to the castle at the Count’s invitation. And their expressions had turned grim.

“What the hell? A festival?”

Grey scoffed—because a lavish banquet had been laid out before them.
Outside, it was winter, and they’d been eating cup noodles near the corpse crematorium. Yet the Count was in a festive mood?
Of course, she understood the festive atmosphere as befitting a historic, record-breaking monster battle.
But the Count had paid no attention to his own people during their suffering, and now he’d suddenly arranged a banquet.

“…Let’s go.”

When Valmond spoke and the four of them turned to leave—
The Count’s butler hurried over urgently.

“Ah, you’ve arrived! The Count has been looking for you all. He wishes to honor you as VIPs of this banquet. Would you please come this way?”

They could have ignored a summons from an ordinary person and left, but the Count himself had called for them. They had no choice but to comply.
To their surprise, something welcome awaited at the Count’s table.

“…Ah, you guys?”
“Kaiser. You bastard.”

Kaiser Truman—whom they knew was in the same territory but hadn’t seen because their paths kept missing.
They exchanged fist bumps with Valmond and Elise. They received a wave from Grey. And then—uh, uh. What the hell happened to Kendrick while they were apart?
But the warmth of reunion ended there.

“Great assassins, do welcome. Come into my palace.”

It was Count Kahula.

“I am aware that you are already employed assassins. But I wonder whether you are receiving sufficient compensation. If not, might you grant me an opportunity? As you know, Kahula County is beginning to gain renown across the world, and I see this as a chance. To extend my influence beyond the Lewiyan Region, into the southern reaches of Hiaka…….”

His request boiled down to a simple plea: stay in Kahula County. The preamble, however, could have circled the globe half over.
And Valmond, having listened long enough, was exasperated.

‘This bastard’s trying to claim the victory at Bomiteka as his own accomplishment.’

He’d apparently wormed his way into the royal honors through palace connections. It was absurd.

“I propose this: whatever they offer you, I’ll give you twice as much.”
“No.”

Valmond, at last unable to bear it, spoke.

“I’m grateful for the offer, but I’m afraid I cannot accept it.”
“Why not?”
“Because all the war’s participants rejected your recruitment offer, didn’t they?”

The Count’s eyes narrowed.

“They did, certainly. Abelutus, Eimond, Moong—all refused me. But assassins follow money, don’t they? If double isn’t enough, I’ll triple it.”

The persuasion that followed could have circled the earth twice. By the time the banquet wore on and Grey—who hadn’t touched her plate and looked ready to die of boredom—suddenly widened her eyes.

“Oh.”

Valmond turned his head to look. Then he rose from his seat. Someone was entering the banquet hall—someone they hadn’t seen in days.
And with that entrance, every voice in the hall fell silent. The music faded.
A tall frame. And eyes of pink. Each step fell slow and deliberate.
Every gaze in the banquet hall fixed upon him. He’d merely appeared, yet that alone was enough.
It could be no other way. He was the war’s hero.

Dante approached with hurried steps and spoke.

“Yes?”
“Where is the hero?”

“He isn’t.”

Those with military knowledge recalled how he’d once shaken the very center of a war alone, and grew anxious. Those without thought of his reputation, and were anxious all the same.

“…It’s just that now… Good grief, why must you be like this? On a day of celebration, no less? Surely you understand—what matters now isn’t that. Come, come sit at the banquet…”

Just as someone was about to speak out of exasperation.
Professor Dante snapped his fingers.

Snap!

Light gathered in the empty air, constructing a vast screen above the banquet hall—a vista only visible through a 3D Crystal Orb. Dante was manifesting it through Illusion Magic.
Screams erupted from the unfolding scene.

“Aaaahhhhh—!”
“Wh-what?! Ghhhh!”
“W-what on earth is that—!!”

It was footage released through the Empire’s broadcast some ten minutes prior.
Along with the Kingdom of Hiaka, the last nation whose Isolation Wall had remained sealed:
the final reckoning of Horan Duchy, weakest of the seven nations.

– As you can see, all 41,157 people within the Isolation Wall have been confirmed dead. This is not a count of deaths and injuries combined—it means total annihilation, every last casualty.

Complete extinction without a single corpse recovered.
Horan Duchy fell into profound shock.

– With the massive creature identified as Vomittekka, this being consumed and grew, devouring everything of Horan. The Empire hastily dispatched several Challengers and succeeded in observing the grown Vomittekka.

The Final Form of Vomittekka—halted in other nations—had come to birth.

– We will show you footage of the subsequent events.

Dante then manifested what came after through Illusion Magic.
Two pairs of translucent wings sprouted from the back of its skull.
A mechanical tail stretching a hundred meters dangled from the nape of its neck.
Atop its head sat a dark, violet halo resembling a crown of thorns.
An enormous head crossed the sky above.

It was Vomittekka in its Final Form.

– The great misfortune lies in this: Horan’s entire storehouse of dark magical materials was devoured whole by Vomittekka’s jaws.

Those gathered in the banquet hall—particularly those who had seen Vomittekka with their own eyes—trembled at the phantom conjured before them.

– Humanity could only watch helplessly as a terrible calamity was born into the world.

At last, the Final Form of Vomittekka that had been flying vanished into the storm clouds crackling with lightning above the sea.

– ……Sooner or later, it will return to us.

The Illusion Magic ended there.
After everything crumbled like shards of glass and fell away.
The faces of the nobles and soldiers watching Dante drained of color rapidly.
All of them understood the Hero’s whereabouts then. He had rushed out to face that creature.
The madman had walked into Vomittekka’s jaws himself—to save people.

“Count Kahula.”

The Assassination Academy’s professor spoke.
His words came slowly, heavily.

“As a professor, I can read a man’s thoughts.”
“…….”
“Even now, you are plotting ways to extend your influence into Horan.”

Whether it was a jest, sincere, or a threat, no one could say.

“Ha, hehe. What… what do you mean….”

The Count broke into a cold sweat.
Those silent, watching eyes. The stretch of a few seconds felt interminable, and just as someone began to suffocate under the weight of it all—
Professor Dante added a single word.

“……Enjoy your dinner.”

After that, in the quieted banquet hall, Professor Dante gestured to the four members of his assassination unit and to Kaiser. *Let’s go.* Then he disappeared, taking with him those five heroes—the very purpose of this banquet.

The Challenger was no concern. He was strong enough not to die easily, and Dante had already planted a tracking device on him for good measure.

Even if he’d vanished like a ghost,
their paths would cross again in due time.

* * *

“You’ve all worked hard.”

The five who had followed Dante out of the banquet hall finally shook off the uneasiness that had clung to them.
Some wanted to praise him—”We were so worried when you were hurt, Professor”—others to marvel at his display—”Your performance was extraordinary, Professor”—yet none of them found it easy to speak such words beneath the weight of his presence that had pressed down upon everyone in that hall.
It was only after a low growl escaped from Elise’s stomach that Professor Dante let out a faint laugh.

“You go to a banquet and still your belly complains?”

Somehow, with that remark, permission to speak felt suddenly granted.
He had been the one oppressing them all—yet not in front of his own assassination unit.

“Well, no….”

Elise grumbled.

“The Count just wouldn’t stop talking….”
“So you ate your fill and your hunger remains?”
“Huh? No. I didn’t get to eat anything at all….”

Had she a tail, it would have started wagging.
Elise smiled and asked.

“Professor, did you manage to eat?”
“I went hungry too. Shall we barbecue?”
“Really?”
“Why not?”

Valmond and Grey’s expressions brightened as well.
They had all been dragged to the banquet hall after grueling work outside, so hunger was a common condition.

“Ah, well….”

At that moment, everyone’s gaze turned toward Kaiser, leaning on his cane.

“…May I come along as well?”

Dante’s expression grew serious, as it always did.

“No.”
“……Ah, yes, I… I’m sorry….”
“I’m joking.”
“…What?”

While Kaiser let out a silent cheer of ‘Yes!’, the barbecue began in earnest.

As far as Kaiser was concerned, this instructor he’d never seen before (and who didn’t quite seem human, for some reason) had procured the meat from somewhere.
After that, Dante unexpectedly began grilling the meat himself.
So they all sat beside him, beer in hand, reflecting on everything that had happened.

“Professor, your hand—is it all right…?”
“And your eyes—are they unharmed? I was terribly worried when you were bleeding before.”
“Huh?”

And so they finally began asking about the professor’s condition.

“Wait, what? Weren’t you supposed to become a doctor?”
“I was, originally….”
“Then why are you doing this here? What’s this Governing Council about?”
“…….”

Which led to Kaiser recounting his own twisted life story.

“Pff—mmmph, how’d you even…?”
“…Just swallow and ask later.”

Elise’s question—her cheeks puffed out so full they looked ready to burst—was glossed over.

“As for this War God Abelutus—surely you created him, Professor?”
“I did.”
“……This can’t be real.”

The true identity of Abelutus—that thing which had never existed, suddenly dominated Kahula County, and had left Kaiser bewildered for days wondering if he’d been possessed by a phantom.

“Hey, Valmond. Stop hoarding those bones like that.”
“…Pardon?”
“…And what about you, carrying stuff in both hands like that…?”

And finally.

“So, why exactly did you skip the first and second floors?”
“We thought that was training you’d given us, Professor….”
“…….”

Even catching that rare moment when Dante’s eyes lost focus.
And so many conversations passed back and forth.

“Damn, this is delicious….”

Grey, who normally showed no interest in food, figured she must be drunk on that single beer. Otherwise, there was no way the meat could taste this good.
Then Kendrick, sitting beside her, placed a morsel reverently in his mouth and furrowed his brow.
He judged carefully: the doneness inside, the sear on the outside, the seasoning, the aroma—everything.
Kendrick wiped the meat juices from his lips and raised his fingers.

“Five stars.”

That man who’d given only two stars even for raw honey!
He’d given a full five stars!
Only then did Grey understand: she wasn’t drunk—Dante simply knew how to grill meat.

“…Wait? Professor, why are you so good at cooking…?”

Grey asked out of curiosity.
Dante didn’t answer.

“…….”

He couldn’t mention that he was a former S-Class Slave who’d spent every gathering with his advisor—once every four days—grilling meat.

When those moments finally ended, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived at last.

“Now then, we shall proceed with the Patch Award Ceremony for this Kahula County Incursion incident.”

Kaiser blinked. A Patch Award Ceremony?

“Ran.”
“Yes.”

And then, growing somewhat bitter, he’d belatedly realized the true nature of the patches that the Dante Assassination Unit had been wearing on their forearm bands.
So this system had come about in the Professor’s unit…. After he’d withdrawn.
While Kaiser slumped like that, Ran opened his mouth after finishing various calculations.

“This endeavor required everyone to risk their lives and work hard, so I shall award all participants a B-Class Patch.”

And so four patches bearing the symbol [B] were affixed to four forearms.
Dante presented each one individually, saying “You worked hard,” as he handed out the patches.

“Hmm…. Draw a bell on mine too….”

On Grey’s patch was a bell, engraved in relief.

“I want a bone!”

On Elise’s patch was a bone.

“Uh.”

On Kendrick’s patch, for reasons unclear, a rooster had been engraved in relief.

“…….”

And finally, it was Valmond’s turn.
To Kaiser’s eye, Valmond—who always seemed to carry himself with gravity and strove to appear strong—looked strange now.
He didn’t know why, but Valmond seemed intensely serious.

“Valmond. You’ve finally earned one for yourself. Shall I draw something on your patch too?”
“…If you would.”
“What.”
“…I too, if I may…. a bone…….”

And so Dante affixed a bone to Valmond’s forearm.
Then came the Professor’s extended hand.
Valmond, shaking as he accepted the handshake, grasped it in return.

“You did well.”
“…….”

Valmond bowed his head without a word.

All the while, Kaiser felt a peculiar sense of exclusion growing within him—the sensation of being set apart from everyone else.
For now, they occupied the same space and shared the same moments. Meeting here had been chance. Once the barbecue ended, they would return—to the Academy. In contrast, he had to remain in the Lewiyan Region.
So they would part ways, walking separate paths from here on. He’d known that from the beginning, and his mind accepted it even now, but his heart found no peace in it.

“Kaiser. How about I make something for you too?”

The Professor had spoken so suddenly.

“…Me as well, sir?”
“If you’ll have it.”
“…I will gladly accept. But I have no Patch to show.”

At that, Dante reached out and drew a Symbol on his chest — a snowflake-shaped mark ❆. It was the same form he had temporarily created for himself until now.
Kaiser felt something stir within him.
After the barbecue ended, Professor Dante approached him deliberately and spoke.

“See you again.”

Kaiser felt something strange at that moment. The sense of severance, of deprivation, of being cast aside — it all dissolved with surprising swiftness.
Wherever he might be, whenever, he felt the fierce, unshakeable certainty that he would see Dante again soon.

“……Until we meet again, sir.”

The affair in Kahula County ended there.

EP29

Humanity’s First Incursion, and After

AND……

It was the morning after. Valmond frantically searched for the Sniper Rifle. He shoved the barrel into his own mouth, but Kendrick slapped his cheek hard and wrenched the gun away.

“Nngh!?”
“Let go! Let it go, you bastard…! I’m telling you to drop it…!!”
“Nnghh!”
“I have to die! I’m not worth living…!!”

He had lost his Patch.

END

* Author’s Note
This illustration was also created in collaboration with Yongdon Yeom (@2sirin). This is not fan art but a commissioned work.
Next, we have plans for Elise, Valmond, Grey, Rebecca, the three idiots……and also Cain the senior professor……and so on.
I am deeply grateful for all the readers who have been with us. I carefully read through all the feedback and positive comments you’ve given, and I continue to think more deeply about the story. Thank you for all that support.
Going forward, I will bring you even more entertaining stories. With love and gratitude. This has been Youju.

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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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