A branch of the cult was established near the Academy.

Bucephalus, the bishop of the place, was reflecting on the recent attack.

"A mere brigade-level unit... not even a regular force, just students...”

The recent attack on the Academy.

The goal was to create a level of chaos that the Academy couldn't handle.

This was to cause the Parent Division, which was occupying and defending the 2nd Contamination Zone, to move their troops into the Academy.

This was Bucephalus’s assigned mission from his diocese. (religious juristriction)

The seriousness of this mission couldn't be overstated.

Because it was a preliminary step from the main church to liberate the contaminated zone from the Academy's Parent Division, meaning the 5th Division.

However, it failed.

The reclamation of the 2nd Contamination Zone by the main church... It was an opportunity to initiate that process...

"Damn brat..."

Anger surged within him.

Bucephalus recalled the student who had thwarted his advance, Gardner.

If it had been upperclassmen who stopped him, those who were fully forged as warriors, he wouldn't have been this irritated.

It was infuriating to be hindered by someone whose training as a warrior was doubtful, and who clearly lacked the necessary skills.

This student could have been dealt with by a single blow from a club.

‘Why? I still can't understand how he stopped me.

Was I careless?'

Fortunately, the main church gave him another chance for revenge.

Mercifully, the main church ordered that a state of unrest must be created before winter.

"During the next raid, I will absolutely... absolutely not let him live."

Vowing this, Bucephalus reviewed the defensive structure of the Academy, which he had been gathering all this time.

A massive barrier enveloping the outer walls.

A barrier that rejects those imbued with malice and an alert system that communicates with the sentry posts.

These were intricately laid out, almost obsessively.

'To smash this again...'

Some preliminary preparation was necessary.

While one could argue it was unnecessary for someone of his standing as a bishop to personally intervene...

He was the only one capable of dismantling the barriers without getting detected.

"At the very least... I'll crush the Academy before autumn."

"Hmm... I've seen this emblem somewhere before."

I stared intently at the scribble engraved on the barrier stone.

An upside-down triangle within a circle, with unknown letters surrounding it.

It looked like a charm.

"Could it be the mark of the cultists?"

If that were true, I must report it immediately.

Using the communication device near the barrier stone, I contacted the sentry post.

"This is a notification from the reconnaissance unit to the sentry post. Graffiti resembling the cultists’ emblem found on boundary stone B-26."

-Cchch...

A sleepy voice came through the receiver.

[What does the emblem look like in detail?]

"An upside-down triangle inside a circle, with unknown letters inscribed. The color is blue."

[We'll report this to the higher-ups, so please standby.]

The call ended as if they had hung up the receiver, and no further communication followed.

While I waited for a response next to the boundary stone, I noticed Elki senior lying in the bushes, looking exhausted.

"...Ugh..."

After scouting for about six hours, Elki senior seemed to be utterly worn out. Watching her, I eventually decided to pick her up and bring her closer to the barrier stone.

"Wha... What's happening? Are we going home?"

"Senior..."

"W-What! Wanting to return home is a common instinct for all living beings!"

Why did this senior even volunteer for the scouting mission? Was it related to me? Did she join because I volunteered? Why would she?

I set aside my confusion for now and brought her to the graffiti on the barrier stone.

"Can you tell me what this emblem means?"

"This is..."

Senior gave it a cursory glance and replied.

"It's a Drain-type magic."

"Drain? You mean it absorbs mana?"

"Yes, if this has been placed on the boundary stone, then someone might be siphoning off the Academy's internal mana or..."

"Or what?"

"They're likely making preliminary preparations to neutralize the boundary stone before an attack on the Academy."

Preliminary preparations? Who? Only cultists could plan such an event on this scale.

Could it be that the remnants of the cultists who fled before are preparing for another attack?

“…Are the cultists attacking again?”

“It’s possible… but it might just be some Operations Department kids messing around. Let’s not jump to conclusions.”

Just then, a message came through from the communication device on the boundary stone.

[Reconnaissance team, please respond.]

I answered the call.

“Gardner from the reconnaissance team, receiving you loud and clear.”

[After confirmation, we believe it could be the work of cultists…]

“Oh, does that mean we get a retreat order?”

Elki senior hoped to go home, but her wish was not granted.

[Please check if the same emblem is present on other boundary stones.]

“Operations Chief, shouldn’t we call the reconnaissance team back?”

An aide who had entered the operations room suddenly confronted the Operations Chief.

It was Echidna, the Operations Chief.

She spoke while looking at the operations map displayed on one side of the room.

“Lieutenant, if the cultists are attacking again… what do you think their forces might be like?”

“…It’s clear that a first-year combatant and a second-year non-combatant wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

The Operations Chief looked at her aide with an exasperated expression and said,

“I’m explaining why I’m not ordering a retreat, so stop whining.”

The Operations Chief explained the current situation in connection with the previous attack incident.

“In the last attack incident, all the cult members infiltrated the Academy.”

"To be precise, it was 'everyone who was identified by the Intelligence Department.'"

"Right, anyway, most of the invaders were destroyed, but... there's one who survived."

"You're talking about the special unit, right?"

The Operations Chief thought of Bucephalus, the leader of the special unit.

"Bucephalus, who made a pact with the Demon of Wrath, he is their diocese's only bishop-level combatant."

"That's according to our information."

"Yeah, there's no way the cult's main forces would provide separate reinforcements."

The main force of the cultists was supposedly being crushed by the 5th Division.

At least, that’s what the information from them indicated.

‘It's hard to believe that the 5th Division, known for being unstable, achieved that much...’

What could be done if you didn't believe it? Trying to obtain information on your own would lead to disciplinary action for insubordination and other reasons.

Believing it was the only option.

Anyway.

"And only a bishop-level combatant could work without being detected by the boundary stones."

"...Are you thinking of using the reconnaissance team as bait?"

"To be precise, they're a magnet. Since Gardner has faced that guy, he’ll come running like a magnet when he sees him."

"That's too dangerous. Chief, you need to order an immediate withdrawal!"

The aide shouted in disbelief.

The Operations Chief showed no intention of retracting her plan.

"It only takes a few minutes to deploy troops to the boundary stones, and... if we capture a bishop-level combatant now, we can prevent future attacks on the main campus. This is a significant achievement."

"What if we don't get the achievement? What if the reconnaissance team gets hurt…"

"What do you mean 'what if we don't get the achievement'?"

The Operations Chief showed visible anger.

"Don't you understand that losing the main building in this attack jeopardizes our operational control?"

"…"

"If we lose operational control during my tenure as Operations Chief, it would be a huge disgrace."

The Operations Chief recalled the senior members of the Operations Department who had worked with her.

Didn't she want to become a genuine superhuman leading other superhumans to victory on the battlefield, just like them?

But now, failures in boundary precautions were happening in her tenure.

If she lost operational control, she wouldn't be able to save face when seeing her seniors in society.

"I can't bear such disgrace, even if I die."

"Chief..."

"Well, I know exactly what you're worried about."

The Operations Chief took a communications device out of her pocket.

"Wait for a moment."

She then contacted someone and spoke in a cheerful voice, as if nothing had happened.

"Intelligence Chief! There's a favor I need to ask..."

"What is this..."

Elki, who had been whining about not wanting to walk, mumbled.

With her on my back, I asked, "What's wrong?"

"…Someone has tracked my device?"

Tracking?

Who would dare track the phone of a Punitive Squad operator...

"Who dares to put a tracker on a Punitive Squad operator's phone? So presumptuous..."

"...You're saying something I like."

"I'm just stating the obvious."

"Right, who dares to mess with a Punitive Squad operator... They need to be taught a lesson."

For the first time since the reconnaissance mission started, Elki seemed pleased and started touching the device swiftly.

While she was doing that, I veered a bit off the original reconnaissance route.

I had to gather the items I needed.

‘There are plenty of magic herbs...’

Magic herbs.

Rumored to increase mana when chewed.

In reality, they are used when developing mage-type characters.

The amount used is astronomical… It's wise to collect them whenever you have the time.

'Hmm... I harvested 34 roots today; looks like I'll have to come here daily.'

Considering it takes about 400 magic herbs per 5-star character...

'I guess I'll be coming here a lot.'

I had thought about just buying them at auction, but where would a cadet find that kind of money? And they're expensive at auctions anyway.

Ten roots would cost my entire monthly stipend.

Compared to that, trading weekends to harvest them is much more profitable.

While I was diligently gathering herbs, Elki, who seemed interested, asked, "...What are you holding?"

"These are magic herbs. It seems this area is their natural habitat."

"What?"

She jumped off my back, walked around, and stood in front of me.

"Are these really magic herbs? There are so many!"

"Well... maybe it's because of the barrier stones?"

I don't know the exact reason, I just know that they grow around here.

"Wow!!!"

Elki shouted and promptly began harvesting the magic herbs from the ground.

"...Um, senior?"

"Hey, you start gathering too! With just 20 of these, you could live comfortably for two months!!!"

"...Alright."

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