Chapter 177 – Ghost Story (1)

A few days had passed. During that time, I received private lessons from Ryozo to catch up on academic progress.

With so many recent incidents, I had somewhat neglected my studies as a cadet.

Not just me. Chloe, who had also returned to the academy, joined the classes.

“…President, you already have a guaranteed job upon graduation, right? Is that all? You could enter any hero agency or institution without even going through a selection process. Your existence is already like an automatic acceptance letter.”

I agree with Speedweapon. Just today, I received a flood of calls from unknown numbers. Renowned agencies contacted me without any pretense.

But I ignored them all. Perhaps a few months ago, I would have considered their offers.

It’s not that I don’t like money. In this life or the previous one, I’ve always liked it.

But lately, I’ve changed my way of thinking. I want to commit a bit more to my life as a cadet.

We don’t have much time left to enjoy this cheerful life at the academy. At most, two and a half years. During that time, I want to live like a true student.

After that will come the Great Human vs. Demon War. And the ominous future is beginning to take shape.

Half a century ago, the first Seven Stars exterminated the sixth commander. Today, the fifth and third have fallen one after another.

And yet, the demon world remains silent.

Because the portal that connects the Demon Realm and the human world still remains intact.

That portal will only be destroyed when the Demon King returns, and that will be the starting gun.

To be honest, Agor and Vesna, the two fallen commanders, seemed to be weakened.

If we had faced them within Gehenna, their home turf, it wouldn’t have been so easy.

I was able to kill the third body commander, Vesna, because her vessel was Supervisor Ha. I’m not saying this out of humility. Within Gehenna, the commanders are practically invincible.

It makes sense that the demons, who only believe in strength, act so submissively.

Even now, with three commanders fallen, the remaining two continue to rule without problems.

By the way, Media told me that the battle against the sixth commander Basmon took place near the Gehenna portal.

As it was so close to their base, the Seven were able to fight with a force comparable to the Demon Realm.

And that’s why three of them died. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have fought day and night for an entire week.

‘It always seemed strange to me that even the weakest of the commanders, Basmon, gave them so much trouble.’

Which means that the commanders within Gehenna are monstrously powerful.

Surely, the two that remain are patiently waiting for the return of the Demon King to destroy the portal.

‘But if I think about it, how monstrous was the Founding Hero who sealed the first body commander, Lycan, in the Demon Realm itself?’

Although it was a mutual sacrifice, it’s still incomprehensible.

‘It’s not uncommon for demons to suffer hysterical attacks just by mentioning the name Balor Joaquin…’

The Founding Hero is a figure shrouded in mystery.

He trained the seven disciples, sealed the Gehenna portal, and founded the Joaquin Academy.

All the pillars of human history are his work.

And yet, it’s unknown what his face looked like or what happened to him afterward. Surely, this is intentional on the part of the developers of the game Miracle Blessing M to prevent his reappearance.

A legendary character from 700 years ago, overpowered in every sense… if he returned, the story would end there.

He only exists as a myth within the lore.

“Geom-Ma, are you listening to me?!”

Ryozo’s voice broke my thoughts. She was poking the textbook with the tip of her pencil.

“Do you think you’re going to get a perfect score on the exam just by daydreaming?”

“I’m not aiming that high.”

“Well, you should! If you have that mediocre attitude, you’ll end up like Speedweapon, stuck in second place for life.”

Speedweapon immediately took offense.

“Do you think I want to be second forever? I’d also like to be number one in written exams! And you, Ryozo, how is it that you sleep all the time and still come out on top?”

“Do you want me to tell you how I study?”

“……”

Speedweapon’s expression turned serious. His pride prevented him from nodding quickly, but his curiosity was stronger.

After a slight grunt, he nodded reluctantly. Ryozo shrugged indifferently.

“Review and revision.”

“……?”

Speedweapon was left blank. Ryozo gave an ironic smile.

“Ah, I forgot the most important thing: studying with the textbook. And listening well to the classes.”

“……”

“You always complain that I sleep, but I listen to everything. Did you know dolphins sleep using only half of their brain? It’s kind of like that.”

A vein bulged in Speedweapon’s temple, but he gave up soon after. He knew Ryozo wasn’t just being cocky.

Though comparing himself to a dolphin… that left him with a strange feeling.

“……”

As I watched them bicker, I glanced over at Chloe. She was scribbling something furiously in her notebook.

But it wasn’t Ryozo’s lesson. The notebook was decorated with teddy bear stickers.

I already knew what it was. Her diary. On one page, the words “I love you” were written over and over again.

It was the infamous “love notebook.” Scarier than any Death Note.

Chloe had returned to the academy the day after the incident at the auction. She was hopping around like a bunny, visibly happy.

The other club members welcomed her back with open arms. So did I, without much thought.

Though the image of her running at me with a katana was still fresh in my mind.

From day one, it had felt like a horror film, so nothing surprised me anymore.

‘I was the victim. She was the ghost.’

Suddenly, she seemed to feel my gaze. She hid the notebook with a shy smile, then pretended to take notes in a different one.

‘If you’re that obvious, no one notices anything, huh.’

Or maybe she activated her [Blessing of the Crow].

In any case, it was clear that studying wasn’t her focus.

“This part’s especially important. There’s a 90% chance it’ll be on the test. Even with open-ended questions, each professor has a pattern. The one who teaches the deeper layers of the Demon Realm follows a three-year cycle…”

I expected Ryozo to stick to the basics, but she actually gave a full rundown. She even pointed out the barely visible notes scribbled in the margins.

Speedweapon, pretending not to listen, was sneakily taking notes on his phone.

…Two hours of private study passed like that.

“We’re done for today. Tomorrow after class, we’ll continue.”

Ryozo shut the book and added:

“Oh, and remember—fifth and sixth periods tomorrow are Human History and Aesthetics of Blessings. Those two carry the most weight in the final grade, so Chloe, Geom-Ma, don’t fall asleep.”

“Thanks. Good work.”

“Yup~”

Speedweapon stood up and ruffled his hair, grumbling.

“I’m going to train my blessing. In this combat-heavy academy, writing alone won’t cut it…”

“By the way, you’ve been going somewhere after class lately. Is that where?”

He shook his head.

“No, I’ve been going to the music room. Remember, my weapon is an instrument.”

Right. It was a flute.

“But the gym smells like sweat, and I hate that. In the south wing, there’s an annex—Aaron Hall. I found a music room there.”

“The south wing is way out there. And there aren’t any other buildings around.”

Ryozo frowned. Speedweapon replied:

“Yeah, but there are tons of people. I practice alone in the wind instrument room, but the piano room is packed. Yesterday, I saw girls lining up to use it through the window.”

“A line for piano? There are apps for that now. Who waits in line for a real one?”

Speedweapon clicked his tongue like a grumpy old man.

“You don’t get it, Saki. Digital sound will never compare to the real thing. No matter how advanced tech gets, that’s one thing it can’t copy.”

Ryozo raised his eyebrows in irritation but waved his hand dismissively.

Meanwhile, Chloe tilted her head in confusion.

“That’s weird… Aaron Hall was shut down last year. It was too run-down, and they closed it for renovations.”

Speedweapon froze.

“T-T-That can’t be! I’m telling you, it was packed! And you, Chloe, how do you know that?”

“My brother Knox is a second-year. Last year, he mentioned it. He liked going there because it was quiet, so I remember clearly. And also…”

Suddenly, Chloe stomped on the floor with a serious expression. Then she said:

“The only music room is on the second floor of the main building.”

Before she could finish, Ryozo and I were already looking at Speedweapon.

His face began turning gray.

***

“Black hair.”

The murmur came from the man in the white robe atop the altar. His figure, draped in fabric that reached down to his feet, resembled the ghostly silhouette of a specter.

Below the altar stretched a world of ashen gray, completely devoid of life. At once, it was both a place and a phenomenon. A true abyss.

A demon with the head of a deer bowed in reverence and pleaded before the man.

“T-This is all my fault for not stopping him in time. B-But I never imagined something so blasphemous as our lords being defeated by humans. P-Please, show us mercy…”

The man in white turned very slowly.

Ruuuuuuuumble.

That slight movement sent a tremor through the entire area. The only place unaffected by the quake was the altar on which he stood.

Tap.

The man descended a single step. All the demons gathered—scattered until then—lowered their heads in unison.

“You ask for mercy?”

The man spoke. His voice echoed hollowly, nearly void of emotion or weight.

“Tell me, if I were to show you mercy, could you return it to me?”

“……!”

“Mercy can only be granted by those who defy the heavens. But I too am a creature who lives beneath it. Then why would you ask it of me?”

The man in white stopped before the deer-headed demon.

“I ask you.”

With a gaze that looked down upon all, his mouth opened once more.

“The man who killed my brothers—was he a being that defied the heavens?”

The deer-headed demon looked up involuntarily. And before him, he beheld the face of the great being.

Behind his head, a black sun devoured the world’s light with ferocious hunger.

All the demons present began to weep black tears, as if by preordained command.

“Ah… Lord of Gehenna, Kuarne…”

Fwoooosh…

In that instant, the deer-headed demon vanished as if consumed by space itself. As if he had never existed. Not a single trace remained.

The man—the Second Body Commander, Kuarne—raised his eyes to the sky. With hollow eyes, he stared endlessly at the black sun.

“The day of our meeting is not far off… oh you, the beyond of beyonds.”

The black sun only remained silent.