All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 264

132. Erasing the Trap – 2

The mud-covered demonic beast of hell collapses.

Ian, who had been staring at it, quickly turned his head. The explorers, who had been eager to enter the ruins just moments ago and then tried to flee at the monster’s appearance, now looked awkward.

“Myaaa~”

Myaene let out a cry as if finding them pathetic, and the Forest Keeper chuckled.

“You received help.”

“You could have caught it yourself.”

“I couldn’t have caught it as quickly and cleanly as you did, Count Ian. As you know, my combat style is a bit… messy.”

Ian didn’t respond to the Forest Keeper’s words.

However, knowing that it was an affirmation, he couldn’t help but smile.

“Anyway, we didn’t find anything special here besides this mud.”

“I see. That’s unfortunate.”

As Ian nodded, the Forest Keeper looked at the mages from the Magic Tower.

They were all quite perplexed by the sudden situation.

“Why did it suddenly appear…?”

“Seriously. Anyway, with so much mud, we can’t go in and check again… It will take months just to purify it.”

Although the outpouring of hellish mud had stopped, the inside of the ruins was already filled with malice.

To enter this place, even considerable divine power wouldn’t be enough.

“What happens if you just go in?”

At that moment, one of the explorers asked with interest.

The Forest Keeper stared at him intently before pointing towards the entrance of the ruins.

“Then, why don’t *you* go in?”

Go in there?

The explorer immediately shook his head.

The moment he entered, he felt like his body would melt away, tainted by the malice.

“Is it impossible for you too?”

“It’s not that it’s impossible, but there doesn’t seem to be anything special inside.”

Circe had also confirmed the inside of the ruins through exploration, but there was really nothing special.

There was only malice that would melt away the body and mind upon entering.

“Then are you just going to leave it like that?”

“Of course not.”

Of course, there wouldn’t be any problems if they just left it alone.

But they couldn’t just leave it like that.

Ian lightly moved the sword he had drawn.

– Fwoosh!!

Holy symbols began to be engraved around the ruins.

While the explorers were amazed by the rapid swordsmanship, the symbols were completed, and a faint light emanated from them.

“Oooooh….”

“It’s being purified!”

“Count Ian defeated the Magic Dragon in the Empire, I heard….”

“Is he really an Apostle of the Sun?”

Ignoring the murmuring around him, Ian spoke to the mages of the Magic Tower when the purification was complete and the mud had disappeared.

“You can check the inside if you want.”

“Oh? Really?”

“But it doesn’t seem like there’s anything special.”

“W-Well, we have to see for ourselves! Since this kind of mud came out… Then I’ll go in!”

The mages cautiously entered the ruins, and some of the explorers began negotiating with them.

In this way, the explorers and the mages of the Magic Tower began to explore the ruins in earnest.

The Forest Keeper, watching them, spoke seriously.

“We couldn’t find any traces of Keshin here, Count Ian. What about the Dwarven City?”

“I did find a doppelganger of Rubellin there. But I didn’t find anything significant either.”

“Hmm. Then if the Sword Saint doesn’t find anything in Light City, we’ll be lost in the maze again.”

“I guess so?”

“Will it be alright?”

“It will be fine.”

Ian was as carefree as ever, and the Forest Keeper accepted his carefree attitude.

“I see. Then I’ll go to Light City for now.”

“Yes. Please do.”

“What are you planning to do, Count?”

“I’m going to wait at the Academy for now. I have a lot of things to do.”

“I understand. Then I’ll contact you if any problems arise after going to Light City.”

The Forest Keeper greeted Ian and then approached Hiral.

She, who had been watching with her arms crossed, chuckled as the Forest Keeper approached.

“You were young, but now you’re all grown up.”

“I’m in a position to accept the flow of time. Still, I’m glad you seem to be doing well, Hiral.”

“Hmph. You should have taken the World Tree fruit when I offered it.”

“Haha. I’m fine.”

The Forest Keeper bid farewell to her as well and left.

Hiral looked at him with pity.

“What’s your relationship with him?”

“We’ve just known each other since he was young.”

That was all.

Hiral refused to say more, and Ian didn’t pry.

“Then are you returning to the Academy?”

“I should.”

“Hmm. Then I’ll return to the Elven Forest.”

Since she had finished her business, there was no need to stay together.

She left alone, and Ian chuckled.

“Myaaa~”

Myaene patted Ian’s face with her white paws.

Ian grabbed Myaene and put her in his bag, then picked up his bracelet.

“Let’s go too.”

* * *

Forgotten City, Dwarven City.

Neither place had any special traces.

All that was left was Light City, so they had no choice but to wait for the Sword Saint and the Forest Keeper to find something.

In the meantime, Ian continued his research and development work as usual, and as the Hero Festival approached, the door of his lab opened.

“Hey, Ian. What are you doing? You haven’t been coming to the dorm lately. Are you very busy?”

“Hmm?”

It was Blanche.

As he sat down on the empty chair and took out cookies, Myaene, who had been playing with a small sphere model with her paws, approached.

“Myaaa~ Mya~”

And immediately climbed onto Blanche’s lap.

Seeing that, Blanche grinned and offered him a cookie.

“Myammyamyamya~”

Myaene grabbed the cookie with her paws and munched on it, and Blanche stroked Myaene and said.

“The Hero Festival monster hunting starts next week.”

“Really? Hey, give me that driver over there.”

“This?”

“Yeah. Anyway, so?”

“I was assigned to the Damdam area. This is your area.”

Ian checked the Miyal Mountain Range map that Blanche gave him.

He glanced at it and tilted his head.

“This is where I was before.”

“What? The place where you caught the Drake before?”

“Yeah. Isn’t it near there?”

“That’s right. It seems that Drakes have settled there again even after you caught the Drake before.”

So it was designated as a restricted area, but recently the Drakes have been moving outside the area.

“The Drake’s hunting grounds were here and here… A Fire Tiger and an Ogre group were found near here.”

“Fire Tiger? Was that near here?”

A giant tiger, a ferocious monster belonging to the S-class, like the Drake.

It is able to cover its body with flames and is cunning and cruel, so it is an S-class monster.

On top of that, even a group of Ogres.

They were invading the Drake’s hunting grounds, so the Drakes were also creating other hunting grounds.

“Anyway, the Drake’s range is also changing a bit. You know the Drake’s moving range is wide, right?”

“I know. If we’re lucky, they might come to the test area. I should go take a look.”

“Let’s go together.”

If it’s just one or two Drakes, Ian will be fine alone.

But there are more than one or two Drakes in this area.

In addition, there is a high possibility that the Fire Tiger and the Ogre group will attack, so he was telling him to be careful.

“If you don’t have enough people, take more. This place is really dangerous, so they said you can take all the Class B kids.”

“What about the instructors?”

“Instructor Valentine, Instructor Pridion, and Instructor Aranse are catching monsters in other areas, led by them.”

Blanche shrugged, folding the map.

“The Miyal Mountain Range has been a bit strange lately.”

“Why?”

“Monsters are moving frequently.”

As if being chased by something.

Or as if looking for something.

The locations of the monsters in the Miyal Mountain Range kept changing.

“That’s why it’s difficult to select a test site.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But what are you making? It looks like you’re making several of the same thing?”

As Blanche showed interest, Ian tapped what was on the desk.

It was the Titan’s Core.

“I think I need to make some more.”

“Really? Aren’t you busy? Are you okay?”

“I’m okay.”

“Then let’s leave this evening.”

“Let’s do that.”

When he returned to the dorm in the evening, Blanche and Wildy were waiting, armed as they had said earlier in the day.

They had quite a lot of luggage, probably because they would have to stay in the Miyal Mountain Range for a few days.

“Why are you packing so much?”

“We’ll have to stay for at least 5 days, Ian. You like cheese, right? I packed a lot.”

“I brought that powder you made too. You have to eat well.”

As they pointed to the luggage they had packed, Ian shook his head.

“Why?”

“I can just go back and forth [using Warp magic], so why are you packing so much?”

“Ah.”

“I didn’t think of that….”

“Honestly, you don’t even have to come.”

“Hey~ How can we leave it all to you?”

“Of course, Ian. You may think we look weak, but we’ll still be helpful.”

Wildy clenched his staff and spoke confidently.

Ian smiled at them.

“I guess so. Anyway, you don’t need to pack a lot of luggage. Just bring your equipment. Just equipment.”

Because they could just bring food with Warp.

At Ian’s words, the two put down their large bags.

“Isn’t it a hassle to go back and forth?”

“Not really. Okay. Let’s go then.”

When they left the lobby and arrived at the entrance to the Miyal Mountain Range, they saw some students.

It was Haryun, Valla, and Wilbal.

“Oh? Are you guys going too?”

“Yeah. We’re this way.”

When Ian showed them the map, Haryun was disappointed.

The direction was different from Ian’s group.

“They said a Bicorn [a mythical creature with the body of a cow and the head of a unicorn] was found here. Wow. It’s been almost ten years since a Bicorn came out in the Miyal Mountain Range.”

“Oh? Really? But Bicorns go crazy when they see virgins.”

“There are no virgins among us.”

The Bicorn, a demonic beast that hates virgins and rejects holiness, is best dealt with by men.

Perhaps because of that, only men were gathered in Haryun’s group.

“They say the Bicorn horn is good as an enchantment material? I’ll bring it to you.”

Parkbare smiled and held up the mace he had just bought.

Ian nodded at them and waved his hand.

“Then see you later. If something happens….”

“You want us to use this [Warp scroll]? Okay.”

Perhaps because they could Warp back to the Academy in case of an emergency, their anxiety was greatly reduced.

As they were about to leave, Blanche approached Valla.

“Bro. Be careful.”

“You crazy bastard. Who’s your bro?”

Valla was serious, and Blanche stared at him intently before grabbing his spear.

“I wish I could go with you, bro….”

“If you come with me, I might kill you. Anyway, go.”

Valla got angry at Blanche and followed Haryun.

As they walked away, Wildy tilted his head.

“Why is he like that?”

“He’s trying to win love, so let’s not worry about it.”

Wildy pouted, watching Blanche staring intently at Valla leaving.

“In the sacred place of learning…!! Ugh. I can’t forgive it.”

“Leave him alone. He’s having a good time.”

In this way, Ian’s group also entered the Miyal Mountain Range.

How far had they gone?

Just as they were about to take a break after going quite deep.

A scream was heard from the forest.

“Kyaaaa!”

At Circe’s report after completing the search, Ian smiled and said to Blanche.

“There will be even better times.”