I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City – Chapter 92

“Sis, is this the last session of Oppa’s note-taking class?”

Sion, like Clara, was also looking at the group message.

She was sprawled out on Rohan’s dorm bed, but the girls’ expressions were dead serious.

“Hmm…”

Sion and Clara weren’t quite ready to accept Rohan’s absence yet.

They even seriously considered hiding and following him.

Sion was confident in her ability to stay unnoticed, though not as much as Clara.

They even had professional equipment for observation.

It was a bit forced, but they had their reasons.

‘Rohan has a tendency to get involved in incidents on his own.’

With that in mind, Sion subtly brought it up, but Clara, who had faced Juyun before, already knew.

The reality was tougher than they thought.

While Rohan was deep into his note-taking exam,

the two girls visited near Orion Academy for a walk.

Sion realized why Clara mentioned that observation would be difficult.

‘As expected of Orion Academy.’

The level of the people inside was too high. Clearly, they were instructors training cadets.

Among them, one stood out with an overwhelming presence.

Even without stepping foot into the academy, this person had perfectly recognized Sion and Clara.

“…”

The existence of Juyun, whom Clara had mentioned. Sion felt a huge wall.

Having someone like that by Rohan’s side was both reassuring and intensely stimulating.

In a way, it was a mix of envy and jealousy.

A sense of frustration from lacking ability.

‘I need to increase the intensity of my training.’

Sion realized.

Clara’s desire to improve was also greatly influenced by having faced Juyun.

*****

[A quest has appeared.]

[Uneasy Peace]

◇ Quest Content: You have observed shadows lurking in the world. While you recognize the turbid currents and impurities trying to blend into the flow, as a cadet, you must diligently take your midterms.

◇ Category: Main Story

◇ Success Reward: Differential rewards based on rank and contribution

◇ Failure Penalty: None

The notification window popped up before his eyes.

Rohan, who had just woken up to the quest, sat up in the ship’s lounge filled with male cadets.

He glanced outside.

‘I see it.’

Even under the dim sky, his magically enhanced eyes accurately captured the boundary between water and land.

An island with a much larger volume than expected.

The uninhabited island where Orion Academy cadets would spend five days.

‘Amateurishly…’

“If you move, you won’t even get to meet anyone but monsters.”

With that thought, I tried to take in as much of the terrain as possible.

Juyun’s voice echoed through the ship’s intercom.

─ Attention, Class 1 cadets. Assemble in front of the 2nd-floor dining hall in 10 minutes. Repeating, Class 1 cadets, assemble in front of the 2nd-floor dining hall in 10 minutes.

─ If you see any friends still sleeping, please wake them up. End of transmission.

*Click!* The broadcast ended with a sound.

Rohan kicked Gilbert, who was snoring, to wake him up, then hurriedly got up from the floor and started preparing.

“…”

The cadets got up and silently continued their preparations.

They gathered on the 2nd floor with plenty of time before the assembly.

“Don’t act disorderly. Find your partner first. Once you’ve found your partner, gather in front of the instructor.”

Rohan approached Ichinose Yui, who was standing at the front, and naturally started a conversation.

“How’s your condition?”

“All good. Noah and I have been keeping an eye out so far.”

As he turned his head, he saw Noah.

Still half-asleep, she was staggering around, looking for her partner.

Noah Frozenheart’s partner was one of the vanguards of Class 1.

It was a female cadet named Corin.

She wasn’t a playable character in Abyss City, nor did she have any outstanding skills. Because of that, Rohan didn’t have much information about her.

“Any cadets who haven’t found their partner yet?”

“…”

Silence.

Confirming that there were no issues, Juyun immediately began her explanation.

“Before we land on the deserted island, to prevent anyone from lasting five days using magic, the instructors will intervene.”

Along with her words, Juyun showed a translucent sticker.

Inside its small frame were geometric characters that looked like they belonged on a talisman.

‘So that’s what it is.’

While the other cadets might not know, Rohan had already anticipated this item.

“Sticking this on your skin will have three effects.”

“…”

“You’ll feel hungry, thirsty, and sleepy. That’s all.”

The cadets who had been listening quietly flinched.

It already felt like the five days wouldn’t be easy.

“You won’t feel it immediately, but your sleep and hunger cycles will come faster than usual. And you’ll feel them more intensely.”

Rohan stared at the sticker with a strange feeling.

This was the debuff from Abyss City that lowered recovery and speed, now in physical form.

“But don’t worry. This sticker can be easily removed by using magic.”

Juyun stuck the sticker on the back of her hand without hesitation.

It didn’t show any signs of falling off even when scratched or wet without magic.

Juyun handed the stickers to the cadets.

After showing it once, he gathered magic power in his finger and peeled it off.

“As you can see, it loses its effect the moment it falls off. Once used, it loses its adhesive strength and can’t be reattached. Even if you force it back on, it’ll be obvious.”

Juyun placed the gooey sticker into the trash can beside her.

“After the exam, the instructor will personally check and collect them. You just need to keep it on until then.”

A large number of stickers poured out from Juyun’s pocket.

“The instructor will personally attach them one by one. Make sure to expose the back of your neck.”

*Snap! Snap!* The sound echoed briefly and then stopped.

It only took a few seconds to attach the stickers to everyone in Class 1.

“If you really can’t stand it during the deserted island survival, you can peel it off. It’ll just affect your score, that’s all.”

At Juyun’s words to prepare to disembark, Rohan checked his equipment with Ichinose.

He even opened his status window and rolled his eyes.

『Name: Rohan

Stamina: 99%

Magic Power: 98%

Affiliated Nation: Southern Ruins’ Echo

Affiliated Organization: Orion Academy

Attributes: [Physical] [Fire]

Status: Desire Amplification

Remaining Points: 16,098P』

“…Desire Amplification.”

The name sounds a bit sketchy, but this is Orion Academy we’re talking about.

The sticker on the back of his neck definitely only affects sleep and appetite.

“We’ll be landing in non-overlapping locations. The transport ship will be close to the shore, so disembark in the order your names are called. Understood?”

“““Yes!”””

Juyun continued communicating with other instructors through the ship’s communication devices.

She spoke up again, as if there was something additional to address.

“And lastly, if you see someone floating in the sky, don’t worry about it. They’re here to support the cadets’ safety.”

Personnel sent to quickly rescue cadets sending distress signals and prevent unexpected incidents, assisting the instructors.

They are from the Sepia Archipelago, a military force that freely flies through the sky using equipment crafted from floating stones.

By the time the sun rises the next day, the cadets will notice their armor and realize which unit came to support.

“The altitude is low enough. Everyone, move to the deck.”

…

…

Rohan and Ichinose were the third to disembark from the ship.

The air smelled salty.

At the boundary between the sea and the deserted island, sandy ground and damp soil coexisted.

“Ichinose. How’s your condition?”

“Nothing unusual yet.”

The girl with her eyes closed fiddled with the sticker on the back of her neck.

“I’m fine for now too… Let’s find a place to rest first.”

“The forest…”

“Are you going in?”

“Rather than an open area like this, I think they might have hidden food or water inside. What do you think?”

“…”

The girl wasn’t holding a fancy night sword, but a standard-issue blade.

She tapped the ground with it, deep in thought.

“First of all, I can move forward without being hindered by the darkness.”

“I’m not as good as Ichinose, but I can see somewhat too.”

“Then, before we go too deep… let’s start by skimming the surface while keeping a distance where we can see the sea.”

“Good call.”

As we got closer to the forest ahead, the sound of the waves grew distant.

Stepping into a forest after sunset might seem foolish, but for Ichinose, who lives in the dark, it’s no different from daytime.

It’s also a chance to secure supplies faster than the other cadets.

‘Should I save the Shop skill as much as possible?’

While Rohan was cutting through the vines with his sword to make a path.

Ichinose stopped in her tracks.

Rohan, sensing her hesitation, didn’t ask why.

“There it is.”

Without hesitation, the girl drew her blade from its sheath.

*Whoosh!* She swung it.

*Squawk!*

A strange cry echoed as a bird fell from the tree.

Its head, severed by the slash, had a sharp horn.

[+1P]

As Ichinose sheathed her sword, points were added.

“It’s a Kakyō.”

Its formal name is Hornbird. Kakyō is what they call it in Sankoku.

Rohan picked up the Hornbird, its head cleanly sliced off.

“This Hornbird…”

“Is there a problem?”

“Can’t we eat it?”

Rohan’s voice was excited, as if he’d found something good.

The girl stiffened in panic.

The heir to Ten Gaien, the largest corporation in Sankoku.

Ichinose Yui, who lived a life far removed from the wild.

“Eh…?”

The girl’s aloof voice and expression faltered.

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