After the Violet Giant started running,

The reconnaissance team lost track of its path.

It was nearly impossible to chase after the giant with regular vehicles as it vanished from sight in an instant.

This put the Academy's Operations Department on high alert.

"Isn't it heading straight for the Academy right now?"

"Why is it coming here? Did someone bring a strange artifact from the contaminated zone?"

"Why here, of all places..."

If the Academy just happened to be in the giant's path, it wouldn't be too big of an issue.

They could simply strengthen their defenses and hit it back as it came charging, and it would likely avoid them.

However, the giant's behavior clearly indicated that its target was the Academy itself.

If the Academy is truly the target... it spells trouble.

No one can predict the extent of damage if they engage in a direct confrontation with something like that.

"Activate the defense system immediately."

The Operations Commander shouted loudly.

There was no way to calculate the remaining time before the giant reached the Academy.

Time was running out.

"The stars are particularly fierce today..."

The Academy's Student Council President.

She was observing the giant's approach from the operations post.

It was approaching at an incredible speed, about to collide with the Academy.

'We must intercept it as soon as possible.'

The Student Council President took out her Unique Armament.

It was a pamphlet in a rectangular shape.

The pamphlet was filled with intriguing names.

[ Bible Manuscript NO.2394 ]

[ Lemegeton Manuscript NO.92 ]

[ Holy Relic - Longinus Replica NO.22 ]

All of them were occult-related magic items collected by the Student Council President. Occasionally, there were holy relics or Bible manuscripts among them, but their purpose was the same.

They were offerings for invoking [ magic ].

The Student Council President tapped on the Christianity-related relics with her finger, and alongside that, holy relics and magic books emerged from her back.

"Would this be enough?"

Dozens, even hundreds, of holy relics and Bible manuscripts, or replicas of them, lined up behind the Student Council President.

The Student Council President felt the connection between the arranged items and the gravitational force. Moreover, because of this, she sensed a slender link with the great star above.

Casting magic was not a difficult task. All she needed was to utter a mantra that symbolizes the feat of a great being while connected to the great star.

The master of the magic the Student Council President was about to use was the greatest being in the world, the one who created humans and naturally connected them through gravity from birth.

Thus, it was the most cost-effective being.

The Student Council President borrowed his power through the holy relic and opened her mouth.

"Let there be light."---

-Sizzle…

As the Student Council President spoke, the holy relics and Bibles, which were lined up, began to glow bright red.

Unable to withstand the heat, the melted holy relics and Bibles were absorbed into the Student Council President's body.

She extended her index finger forward.

A long, outstretched finger.

From it, a blinding white beam burst forth.

-Thud!

However, just a moment before that.

Sensing her attack, the Giant stomped on the ground.

The Giant displayed an extraordinary leaping ability that seemed incompatible with its massive body.

Dodging the attack, the Giant jumped up to the edge of the sky.

It traced a parabolic arc and began to descend toward the Academy.

The Academy's boundary stones activated once to try and block the Giant's landing.

But it seemed they were insufficient to withstand the Giant's massive weight, as the boundary stones couldn't handle the overload and shattered completely.

Instead of countering the attack, it just ignored it and charged forward.

This was… unexpected.

‘Is it coming to find something at the Academy?’

Or maybe something is controlling that monster.

Either way, whatever it was doing would not be beneficial to us.

The Student Council President resolved to end it before the damage worsened.

“...I wasn't planning on using this."

The Student Council President used a pamphlet to take out a Magic Book.

An item she had acquired at an auction, using her savings for retirement, marriage funds, scholarship, funds to maintain her dignity as the Student Council President, and the Student Council's public funds.

[Original Necronomicon]

At the tips of her fingers, she began to craft a skill that risked everything she had.

"It felt like I was going to die from exhaustion."

Inside the transport aircraft returning to the Academy.

One member of the Disciplinary Committee spoke up.

The members inside the transport aircraft nodded in agreement.

It was all well and good until they were ordered to clean up the island...

But now the Central Government, which hardly meddled in whether the Academy lived or died, wanted to oversee everything.

There were many things to say, but...

The Academy was always in a subordinate position.

Under the supervision of government agents, they were driven to work insanely hard.

"This isn't catching crayfish, why do they want us to search every stone?"

"They're crazy."

"Honestly... we're going to have a retake as soon as we return, and I just want to die."

"Oh, the first-years are in trouble."

The second and third-years began to laugh as they looked at the first-years.

Among them was the Head of the Disciplinary Committee.

She wasn't laughing because she was comparing herself to the first-years like the other upperclassmen.

Rather, it seemed she was just pleased to see them all getting along.

She wanted to enjoy that brief moment too, but the Head of the Disciplinary Committee had work to do.

As soon as they returned, she had to convene a meeting of the executives.

The reason was a message she had just received from the Operations Commander.

[High-risk entity found in the current contaminated area, prepare immediately upon returning to the Academy and await further contact.]

It seemed like a new problem had arisen at the Academy.

The Head of the Disciplinary Committee intended to contact Laurent and Gardner to tell them to gather in the Disciplinary Committee office before their arrival.

Laurent responded, confirming she would be waiting in the Disciplinary Committee office...

However, there was still no reply from Gardner.

The Head of the Disciplinary Committee decided to contact the Medical Room.

‘...Could he have been injured and hospitalized again?’

While pondering this, the call was answered at the Medical Room.

[...Hello?]

“This is the Head of the Disciplinary Committee. Is Gardner there?”

[If you're referring to Gardner, the student...]

...Was the Health Teacher absent?

It seemed like another student had answered instead of the Health Teacher.

Since it wasn't important who answered, the Head of the Disciplinary Committee asked about Gardner's whereabouts and received a shocking reply through the terminal.

[He's been captured by Ella of the Punitive Squad.]

"...Pardon?"

The Head of the Disciplinary Committee was unusually flustered.

[Is Gardner there by any chance?]

The moment Ella heard the Head of the Disciplinary Committee's voice, she felt her mind go blank.

But oddly enough, she felt good.

It was like the feeling of a cat overdosing on catnip.

Her heart pounded just hearing the voice, and it felt like all stress was being blown away.

With the terminal pressed to her ear, it was as if the Head of the Disciplinary Committee was whispering directly to her, and it excited Ella.

Just like the terminal was some kind of catnip, Ella kept it tightly against her ear.

However, that excitement was short-lived.

Intrusive thoughts soon pushed away the dopamine that had just been released.

‘Why is she looking for Gardner?’

She’d heard she was returning with the transport today...

Could it be that Gardner and the Head of the Disciplinary Committee shared some kind of bond, even if they were apart for a little while?

‘How often have I been able to talk with the Head of the Disciplinary Committee over this past year?

If it comes to long separations, wasn’t mine longer? Is it something that she’d ask Gardner for first and not me?

What kind of person am I to the Head of the Disciplinary Committee?’

She suddenly wanted to ask.

But afraid of being seen as a bothersome girl, Ella held back her words.

She didn’t want to be the annoying junior to the Head of the Disciplinary Committee.

So Ella suppressed the jealousy that was rising within her.

And then she spoke.

“I-I don’t know…”

Just in case, and if by any chance, the Head of the Disciplinary Committee really favored Gardner.

‘Though it's a very unlikely scenario.’

Simply for holding Gardner, she could fall out of favor.

Ella decided to keep the truth to herself.

It was a reflexive action. Normally, she wouldn't have done such a thing, but receiving the call itself was an exceptional situation.

Ella was currently led by her emotions rather than rationality.

[…Really?]

A bewildered voice resonated from the other end of the terminal. Just hearing that voice made guilt well up inside her, but...

'It'll be fine if I bring him back to the dorm immediately.'

For now, she thought she was still safe.

[I heard Gardner was dragged off by Ella, so I reached out... If you find Gardner later, could you let me know? Ella, do you know who Gardner is?]

‘Should I say I don’t know?’

Ella was choosing her words, trying to figure out what to say when...

-Thunk...

A dull sound resonated from somewhere.

‘An earthquake?’

A deep rumble that seemed to strike her heart echoed from far away. She was trying to understand what was happening when...

-Wheeeeee!!!

A siren and emergency broadcast blared from the Academy's internal speakers.

[Alert!]

[A high-risk entity is currently approaching the Academy, everyone must follow instructions from now on...]

‘High-risk entity?’

Before Ella could take any action upon hearing the broadcast…

A massive shadow was cast over the entire Academy.

“…What on earth is that?”

Ella murmured while looking out the window.

Outside the window, where the sun should have been, a colossal violet giant was descending.

-CRAAASH!!!

The giant tore through the Academy's defensive walls as it fell. The impact caused the exterior walls of both Vermilion Bird Hall and Rose Hall to burst open.

-GRRROOOAAAR!!!

Then, the giant turned its gaze towards Ella. More precisely, it was looking at Gardner, who was slung over her shoulder.

‘I just need to survive...’

Ella concentrated all her focus on dodging the falling debris. Because of this, she couldn't respond quickly to the giant's unusual movements.

She realized the giant was targeting her when it opened its massive mouth and approached dangerously close.

Ella intended to leap to safety, but the giant wasn’t slow enough for her to evade.

In the end, Ella and Gardner were swallowed by the giant along with part of the building's outer wall.

“…This is bad.”

With those words, communication through the terminal was cut off.

Inside the giant's stomach, Ella opened her eyes.

“…Is this the afterlife?”

She stood up and looked around.

A dark forest and trees.

It looked like an ordinary hillside.

It doesn't seem to be the afterlife.

"I was definitely eaten by the giant..."

Even if it's not the afterlife, there's no reason to be on a hillside.

At least it's a relief not to be diving into stomach acid boiling with gas.

It's puzzling.

Is this what the insides of a monster really look like?

While Ella was pondering,

She noticed that a line was connected to her.

A brilliantly shining white line.

Warmth was coming from it.

Warmth that heated up her entire body.

'...What is this?'

While Ella was looking at the line with a puzzled gaze,

At the end of the line was a man.

Gardner.

He opened his eyes wide.

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