I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City – Chapter 93

“Can’t we eat this Hornbird?”

Rohan picked up the headless Hornbird and started plucking its tough feathers with a *pop! pop!* sound, fiddling around with it.

Watching this, Ichinose rolled her golden eyes in panic and asked Rohan again.

“…You’re going to eat a Hornbird?”

“It’s not poisonous, and it’s one of the edible monsters. I saw online that people eat it a lot.”

His tone suggested, *What’s the problem?*

Ichinose’s voice trembled slightly at Rohan’s confidence.

“W-well, that’s true, but…”

“Maybe running into this Hornbird here is lucky. There might only be inedible monsters inside.”

A statement with no room for反驳.

The girl’s gaze shifted to the chunk of meat in Rohan’s hand.

The Hornbird, with its life cut short and blood dripping, wasn’t classified as a beast but as a monster.

Though physiologically repulsive, as Rohan said, it wasn’t inedible.

For example, some people try to film themselves eating it to rack up views.

Others eat it out of pure curiosity.

And recently, there’s been one more case.

If you’re lured into a dungeon by a Monolith, you might have no choice but to face this situation.

This aligns with what Orion Academy is trying to teach through this exam.

‘Could they have considered even that?’

Ichinose’s speculation.

It’s highly possible that Orion Academy selected this uninhabited island with that in mind.

‘Definitely.’

Whether it’s true or not, believing so is beneficial for the girl.

Thanks to that, Ichinose managed to nod with difficulty.

“…Y-yeah! We don’t know how strong this sticker is, so it’s better to keep it.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll handle the prep.”

“Prep… Have you eaten a Hornbird before?”

Ichinose’s voice rose in surprise at Rohan’s confidence.

It’s interesting to Rohan that she reacts this way, not in battle but in something like this.

“It’s a bit bigger, but isn’t it similar to chicken?”

“Do you cook often?”

“When you live alone and move around a lot, you pick up the basics.”

“Ah…”

Ichinose closed her mouth, recalling Rohan’s background.

Rohan led the way, muttering about how nice it would be if there was some running water nearby.

*Crunch! Pat! Crunch!*

How far had they gone, taking turns swinging their swords?

The sound of waves was no longer audible. Only the sounds of nature from the dark green forest filled the air.

Looking back, the night sea was barely visible in their field of vision.

The distance became such that it wouldn’t be visible unless you climbed uphill.

“I thought the smell of blood might attract beasts or monsters, but it’s still quiet.”

Rohan glanced at the plump Hornbird he held in one hand.

It was a shame that only the guts had been removed, and it hadn’t been properly cleaned. Water was needed.

“If we find a place to stay, let’s settle there for now. Just enough to avoid the wind will do.”

“Then should we keep going? If we go further, we won’t even see the sea anymore.”

“Let’s go.”

Ichinose Yui signaled her intent and smoothly revealed her blade.

She neatly cut through the densely grown plants.

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‘How much time has passed?’

Ichinose, with her eyes closed, wondered inwardly.

Though the pace was slow because they couldn’t recklessly increase their speed, it was clear that a considerable amount of time had passed.

Unfortunately, they hadn’t found a suitable resting spot during their journey so far.

However, they had encountered a variety of monsters.

They hadn’t run into any Hornbirds since the beginning, but they had caught over 10 Gerowai and Mud Slimes each.

From the occasional cries and traces left on the trees, it seemed there were also Honey Bears or Iron Turtles around.

“Assuming we’re moving in a straight line, if we head in the opposite direction, wouldn’t we be more likely to encounter a different group rather than the same one?”

“Judging by the flight path of the transport ship, that seems likely.”

“Even if we meet, it doesn’t feel like it’d be a very welcoming atmosphere.”

While exchanging a few words to distract themselves, Ichinose was flustered by the unfamiliar state of her body.

The sticker was clearly showing its effect.

She knew how mentally draining it was to sharpen her senses and maintain tension.

Even considering that, her current physical state was definitely abnormal.

It felt like her metabolism was malfunctioning, repeatedly speeding up.

‘Am I supposed to endure this for five days…?’

Was this how Noah felt when she became all mushy and complained of hunger every day?

Her stomach felt hollow, as if there was a hole in it. Her throat was parched, craving water.

She had always made sure to eat well for growth, but this sudden drop was hitting her hard.

‘Rohan…’

The girl slightly opened her eyes and glanced at her companion.

From the side, he seemed fine. There was no outward sign of his condition.

She even began to wonder if the sticker’s effect wasn’t working on him.

“Hmm… I really can’t find a good spot to rest. Should we dig into the ground or something?”

Just as Rohan finished speaking with a hint of regret.

*Gurgle──.*

A sound came from Ichinose’s slender abdomen.

The signal of hunger rang out in a raw, unfiltered sound.

“!!!”

Ichinose blushed, covering her stomach with both hands.

A meaningless action born from desperate confusion. To Rohan, the gesture of this beloved character was simply adorable.

“Th-that’s…!”

“What’s the big deal? It’s natural. I’ve been hungry too.”

“…”

Rohan stretched his legs again, smiling without malice.

If only he had teased her playfully, it might have been less embarrassing. Ichinose wished she could hide in a mouse hole.

Her face burned hot. For a moment, her mind went blank, even forgetting her hunger.

*Step. Step. Step.*

A few steps in silence.

Both Rohan and Ichinose stopped walking and looked up at the sky.

“This doesn’t look good.”

“Ah.”

Was it a divine message from the heavens, telling the girl to calm down and cool off?

Suddenly, thick raindrops began to fall.

Without any chance to react, the clouds, having given a taste, now poured down rain in earnest.

*Swoooosh──!!!*

A torrential downpour, almost like a squall.

The heavy raindrops began to soak Rohan and Ichinose, who had nowhere to take shelter.

*****

In Hex’s laboratory, located at the headquarters of the Reverse Flow Praise Association.

Hex, one of the two heads governing the Reverse Flow Praise Association alongside Omega, sat down with Omega.

This was also a regular session for Hex to use his skills to modify Omega’s body.

“As I mentioned before, I’ll inject fire-resistant factors into your muscles and skin as much as possible.”

“…”

At first glance, the two were complete opposites.

Unlike Hex, who had a skinny frame, Omega stood over 2 meters tall with an enormous build and muscles.

But Omega’s features didn’t end there.

Severe burns had left him without eyebrows or hair, and his lower jaw, damaged beyond regeneration, was fitted with a mechanical device developed by Hex.

At a glance, it looked like a black mask.

“If we win this time, will you finally fix my face?”

“That’s the plan.”

Other parts of his body had already received skin grafts through Hex’s technology.

However, the burn scars on his exposed face remained untouched due to Omega’s stubbornness.

Simply put, it was a form of self-punishment.

Hex found this attitude incomprehensible.

“Burns are determined by how deeply the heat penetrates the cell layers, so this time, the graft material will be from lava gargoyles, magma salamanders, and—”

Hex’s words sped up as he held a syringe.

Omega watched as Hex’s eyes began to shimmer with excitement.

Watching closely, he cut off the conversation with ease.

“I always say this, but even if I hear it, I don’t get it. Just tell me how long it’ll take, that’s enough.”

“That’s the part I always say too. I can’t give a definite answer. We have to see how well the body accepts it.”

“Tsk.”

Hex felt satisfaction at Omega’s clenched fist attitude.

He quite liked how the situation was unfolding according to his plan.

“Haha! You seem pretty desperate.”

“…You’re the one who brought me this news. You’re saying you’ll let yourself be used even though you know.”

The news that Juyun, a former general of Samhwa Kingdom, had left the academy city and was stationed on a deserted island with cadets.

Upon hearing the news Hex brought, Omega felt it was fate.

The timing was perfect.

The transplant operation, which was as significant as a major surgery, had just been completed at the right time. A deserted island swarming with monsters was the ideal place to cause chaos with Hex’s power.

It was the perfect setup to clash with Juyun.

‘This is a chance to settle old scores.’

Thud! A thick syringe needle pierced Omega’s skin.

After administering the drug, Hex quickly moved his hands, leaking information.

“According to the news, not only other instructors but also the Paradise Knights from the Sepia Archipelago are here for support.”

“The Paradise Knights? Does that mean Lancelot is here?”

“Fortunately, Lancelot is currently in the Sepia Archipelago. If there were two big shots, I wouldn’t have even brought it up.”

Omega didn’t like Hex’s attitude, which seemed to predict defeat.

“Without Lancelot, they’re just flies. You handle it.”

“I’d like to take a break? It’s going to take a lot of effort and energy to mess things up that much.”

Omega frowned fiercely while undergoing the procedure.

Hex’s words and expression were blatantly intentional.

“Just say what you want, straight up.”

As expected, he’s quick to catch on in these matters.

At Omega’s question, the corner of Hex’s mouth lifted.

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