The Villain’s POV in the Academy

Chapter 52

Novel [Cyber-Module’s Necromancer].

As the title suggested, the story mostly depicted the growth of the protagonist, Shade Wells, as a ‘Necromancer.’

At first, he consumed modules through [Corpse Eater], then later, after acquiring a hacking-related module, he awakened as a ‘Techno-Wizard.’

Explosively growing in power as a Wizard, the protagonist eventually reached the mid-story arc, where he began hunting [Arcane] in earnest—and it was then that he gained a unique ability possessed by no one else.

Magic.

He combined the magic of the witch Evangeline with Miyu’s technology to create a very special technique called ‘Necromancing.’

For example, he could implant special chips into the corpses of monsters to resurrect them as servants. Or he could hack an opponent’s Arcane Module and temporarily copy their abilities.

It was an ability worthy of the title ‘Necromancer,’ with which he rose to prominence—until finally, he destroyed the root of all evil, the ‘Stingray Conglomerate,’ and saved the world. That was the story up until the ending.

And now, in this very moment—

Someone had appeared with an ability seemingly copied from the protagonist’s ‘Necromancing.’

And that someone… was my enemy.

“A group self-harm attempt?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

Maria explained with a grave expression.

“They say over a dozen students displayed abnormal behavior together. As if arranged beforehand, each of them did it in their own rooms at the exact same time.”

“Any chance it was just an incident?”

“Probably not…”

You know as well as I do that’s impossible.

With that nuance, Maria trailed off.

I clicked my tongue and sorted through the situation.

Controlling people infected with chips.

Most likely a hacking-related ability.

And somehow, that ability reminded me of the ‘Necromancing’ the protagonist only acquired in the mid-to-late stages.

Coincidence?

No. Not a chance.

He’s obtained [that].

The worst-case scenario.

The worst possible image formed in my mind.

“…Continue.”

“They appear to be students infected with those white Junk Chips. Considering the timing of the incident, it seems reasonable to assume so.”

Damn it.

Even after the special crackdown, it seemed we hadn’t completely separated the students from the Junk Chips.

I didn’t know the exact cause.

Maybe it was a gap caused by the negligence of those in charge, or maybe there had been students already infected with the Junk Chips before the crackdown began.

So there’s always a hole somewhere, huh.

No matter how thoroughly we combed through the Academy like catching rats, we couldn’t prevent students from doing something stupid outside.

Most likely, the ones who caused trouble this time had slipped through such a gap.

At least thanks to the special crackdown, the number of victims was smaller. That hadn’t been the original goal, but still.

“What’s the Academy’s response?”

“…For now, they say the students are being treated in the infirmary. Among the Science and Technology Department students, some apparently have fairly serious injuries.”

It seemed Maria was receiving updates in real time while talking to me, since her answer came after a brief pause.

The Tactical Combat Department’s Adaptee students would likely shrug off minor wounds quickly thanks to their superhuman recovery.

But among the average-built Science and Technology Department students, there had apparently been those whose lives would have been in danger if treatment had been delayed even slightly.

“Any of our scholarship students among the victims?”

“Yes. Two of them.”

“They’re not from the Special Class, are they?”

“No. General scholarship students.”

As expected.

Iri had grown up seeing the terrible fate of cyber-drug addicts, and Miyu knew the technical dangers of Junk Chips inside out.

It was unfortunate, but it could have been worse.

“And apparently, every single student who displayed abnormal behavior left some sort of writing before attempting self-harm.”

“Writing?”

“‘Aaron Stingray,’ they wrote.”

“A warning to me.”

“That’s what it seems.”

This was a warning directed at me.

A warning to stop interfering with their activities any further.

The students were hostages, and if I rushed in to resolve it carelessly, it wouldn’t end with just self-harm next time.

This is troublesome.

I could see right through his plan and situation.

Even though I could read the culprit’s thoughts as clear as day, I couldn’t act on them immediately.

My mind was tangled.

But precisely in situations like this, I needed to make calm, rational decisions.

I took a deep breath and began methodically organizing everything I knew so far in my head.

First…

First point.

Ashita-kyo had a Transmigrator.

He had succeeded, by some method, in imitating the protagonist’s ability from the original work, and was using it to expand his influence.

He must have intended to infect and subjugate people in the Academy and megacorporations. And though there are slight differences, judging from the control method using Junk Chips…

No doubt about it.

I didn’t know the exact process.

But he had gotten his hands on that.

Probably in a way I’d very much despise.

Second point.

By coincidence, while carrying out his plan, he got caught by me. Perhaps by the very person he should be most wary of.

Third point.

He wasn’t ready yet.

The warning using Academy students showed traces of his panic and impatience.

If he had fully prepared a way to counter me, he wouldn’t have needed to act so recklessly.

In other words, acting this recklessly meant he was buying time. While using hostages to keep me from acting recklessly, he intended to carry out his original plan.

That meant I too had to deny him that time, track him quickly, and knock him out of the competition.

Fourth point.

Silence had been infected with a Junk Chip.

It wasn’t confirmed information yet, but the likelihood was very high.

For good reason—currently, the only Junk Chip dealer in the Academy was Silence, and he had a habit of testing his goods himself before selling them.

Which means Silence had fallen into the enemy’s hands long ago.

No wonder something felt off.

He was probably already consumed by a Junk Chip even before I offered to recruit him. That was why he’d refused my offer.

Looking at it this way, maybe I was too focused on the internal situation of the Academy.

To summarize:

First—Ashita-kyo had a Transmigrator. By obtaining that, he was imitating the protagonist’s abilities.

Second—he was caught by me while carrying out his plan.

Third—fortunately, his plan wasn’t complete yet. He was still lacking in power.

Fourth—he used Silence as a hostage to buy time to strengthen himself.

Now, what to do.

The fact that students other than Silence were taken hostage wasn’t really an issue.

After all, the Academy was nothing more than a training ground for corporate private soldiers. Even if a few more students died, it wasn’t my concern. Other corporations did the same—pretending otherwise while using students as lab rats or cannon fodder.

Extras aren’t my problem, and whatever happens to them, there’s no fallout for me. The problem is…

The problem was Silence.

A key figure in Act 2 of Part 1.

A crucial supporting character whose absence from this point on would massively increase the difficulty of clearing the story.

If I handled this clumsily, Silence would be in danger.

They’d taken him hostage knowing they couldn’t face me head-on, and might kill him in a “if I’m going down, I’m taking you with me” mindset.

…I don’t like this.

This was my world.

I didn’t like seeing someone run wild in my garden as if everything here belonged to them.

I didn’t like someone constantly interfering with my plans from the sidelines. And I especially didn’t like that they thought they could beat me with a bit of cleverness.

And most of all…

You dare lay hands on my people?

I didn’t like the method itself.

There was no respect for the original work or the story in his approach.

Even if his methods were extreme, or if he pursued the opposite direction to mine and hindered my plans—

If there had been even a shred of affection for the work, or a grain of respect for the plot the author had created, in his way of doing things—

I wouldn’t have been this angry.

So you don’t care what happens to this world, or to the people living in it?

While some are driven to the brink of madness trying to fill the void left by a protagonist who died too soon, you go and lay your hands on that just to save yourself?

“…Unforgivable.”

“M-Master?”

I ground my teeth.

And then I immediately gave Maria an order.

“Prepare yourself, Maria.”

“W-What do you mean?”

“A war… no, a hunt.”

Maria looked startled at my words.

“You mean to go up against Ashita-kyo?”

“I’ll think of an excuse for the Chairman. I’ll take full responsibility, so use every means available to prepare for the hunt.”

“…Understood.”

Perhaps sensing my sincerity, Maria bowed her head without another word.

I clenched my fists, steeling my resolve.

I would not let this go.

For a rat running wild in my garden without knowing its place, death was most fitting.

Trinity Academy Student Administration Hall.

Special Dormitory for Stingray Special Scholarship Students.

Although there were more than ten prepared rooms, only two were actually occupied, so the hallway was always quiet.

Late at night, only after finishing her training, Iri trudged alone down that hallway toward her room.

“Another tough day…”

Classes had ended early, but she had stayed behind to practice in the combat simulation room.

Until a few days ago, the training had been led by Aaron, but he was now away attending the G20, the city’s biggest event.

Before leaving, he had urged Iri to continue training on her own.

No one was really monitoring her, and no one would scold her if she ignored the instruction, but Iri faithfully followed his words.

She was gradually realizing that the shield-based combat style Aaron had suggested suited her well.

Especially in today’s combat practice, she felt it clearly.

–We’ll begin a 3 vs 3 team match.

Following the instructor’s words, Iri teamed up with other students for a mock battle. And while she was casually holding her shield, ready for practice, the other students started picking a fight with her.

–A shield? What is this, the Middle Ages?

–Installing a module is way more efficient. No need to lug something heavy around.

–Why don’t you ask them to buy you a skin armor module? I heard the Foundation’s Chairman dotes on you. Why won’t he even buy you such a basic module?

–Ah, maybe he “dotes” on you in another sense? Maybe he wants to keep you by his side not as a “corporate soldier,” but as a “love doll.”

It was low-grade jealousy and childish provocation.

The old Iri would have smashed their faces in right away, but she decided to just ignore it.

Partly because of that previous incident, and partly because she disliked how Aaron subtly treated her like a kid, she had decided to be a little more mature.

–Yeah. Run your mouth all you want.

Brushing off the provocation without much thought, before long, it was her team’s turn. She charged toward the opposing team with her shield at the forefront, and the result was surprising.

Miyu’s special shield easily blocked all the enemy team’s attacks and made it easy for Iri to close in for her specialty—melee combat.

Normally, she would have burned a lot of stamina dodging bullets here and there, but with the shield alone, her breakthrough power had become exceptional.

Thanks to the shield’s performance, her team won the mock battle with ease, and Iri once again felt firsthand that Aaron’s advice had been correct.

So this is my new style, huh?

At first, the shield had felt awkward and cumbersome, but at some point, that weight began to feel reassuring.

She still had some clumsy parts, but she could make up for that with repeated training and new combat modules.

Then she could get even stronger.

And if she became stronger, those who looked down on her because of her background would disappear completely.

And she could earn Aaron’s acknowledgment, and receive information about her brother’s death.

With those thoughts in mind, Iri had diligently trained on her own until late at night before returning to her room. She took a clean shower and lay in bed early for the next day.

Defensive stance… module… shooting…

She was reviewing the elements Aaron had emphasized in her head and was just about to drift off to sleep—

Drrring—!

Suddenly, a ringing sound echoed in her head.

It was a call.

“Ugh, who is it at this hour…”

She was grumbling, but when she saw the name of the caller, she jolted upright in bed.

“H-Hello~?”

W-Wait a second, what was that?

Why was her voice so bright?

Talk like usual, just like usual.

For a moment, even she felt like she was acting coy. She had no intention of being cutesy with him, but her reaction came out overly excited without her realizing it.

No, Iri! Get a grip!

Iri recalled that day’s memory.

She didn’t want to admit it, but Aaron’s observation that day had been accurate. He had mercilessly dug up and exposed even the feelings she had deliberately ignored and forcibly buried.

The first time she faced her true self, she realized just how weak and pathetic it was.

I’ll never let that happen again.

She wouldn’t cry like that ever again. And she especially needed to fix her everyday behavior so she could stand confidently before Aaron.

“Ahem.”

She cleared her throat and corrected her tone, making sure to sound thoroughly disciplined.

“Yes, I’ve answered the call.”

[…]

“I said, I’ve answered the call?”

When Iri repeated herself, Aaron hesitated a little before asking:

[…Why are you talking like that?]

“I-I’ve always spoken like this.”

She felt a jolt of panic for a moment, but she kept up the act. A few more seconds passed before Aaron replied…

[…My apologies. I didn’t mean to trouble you at such a late hour. We’ll talk tomorrow.]

“I’m not saying that because I’m tired, you know?!”

…Though she actually was tired!

Tsk.

She had tried to put on a dignified act, but it didn’t work on Aaron at all. Back to her usual self, she sighed and continued the call.

“Phew. I’m fine, so go ahead.”

[Are you really fine?]

“Of course. It must be something important.”

This was the first time Aaron had called her like this at night. More than that, though she couldn’t be sure, his voice seemed to carry a hint of unease.

“So what’s going on?”

[I have a request.]

After a brief pause, Aaron continued.

[There’s someone I need you to take down.]