Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy

“When we look at the changes since we strategized, the Pope’s intention is clear. He’s reduced the quality of the soldiers while increasing their numbers. I guess he’s hoping for the various problems that will arise from mental and physical fatigue.”

“It’s obvious by the state of the soldiers. The enemies we faced were all just crazy idiots, but those down there are honorable knights, aren’t they?”

“A simple yet effective method.”

“Well, from the moment the kid skipped ahead, it all becomes a joke.”

Ha ha

At Garad’s words mixed with a sigh, the expressions of the hero party turned subtle. As he pointed out, all of the Pope’s efforts became meaningless due to Lucy’s extraordinary conduct.

“Did you really have to bring that up?”

“Sorry, everyone. It’s because I was ineffective.”

“Garad! Don’t you have a sense of perception?! The hero is going to be gloomy again!”

“What’s it to you?! Was what I said wrong?! Until when are we going to deny reality?!”

Since entering the dungeon, Lucy Allen continued her extraordinary conduct.

She leaped over thousands of troops and not only that, but she also teleported through a hole into the next room.

After doing something strange in the outskirts, she approached the soldiers, who couldn’t even recognize the existence of Lucy.

Suddenly halting in the middle of the dungeon, she turned and went sideways, causing the soldiers who were supposed to appear to vanish completely.

The things happening could never be understood with the common sense the hero party knew, and each time, the atmosphere of the hero party grew grimmer.

Her easy navigation through the dungeon wasn’t a point of contention. Those envious of her couldn’t possibly be called heroes.

The reason they lamented their gloom was quite the opposite.

“Why couldn’t I think of that? If I had thought and acted like Lucy, my comrades wouldn’t have suffered so much in the past. Why couldn’t I come up with that mindset?”

Everyone knew that regretting now after several hundred years was foolish, yet the hero party couldn’t stop reflecting.

“Do you think going back to the past would allow us to do such things!?”

“We could prevent the soldiers from appearing.”

“I have an idea about how to eliminate their presence.”

“Reproducing the jump into the void is also possible.”

Because they were geniuses who could recreate the same phenomena.

“…Really?”

The first to respond to Garad’s bewilderment was Ruel.

“Stopping the soldiers from appearing is possible with precise magic detection. It seems they appear when a specific area is triggered.”

Next, the hero continued.

“Those soldiers are ultimately created in haste within the dungeon. Naturally, their functionality can’t be perfect. Modern heroes took advantage of that gap and were recognized as allies by going through specific rituals.”

“It seems it’s my turn to speak. I once analyzed the extraordinary conduct of the former Lady Allen. This is what I learned. Between substance and substance, there are minuscule gaps. The dungeon tries to replicate the external environment as much as possible, but it can’t mimic the overly detailed aspects.”

An error occurred while forcibly recreating what exists in the world. Lucy exploited that error to create the phenomena she desired.

“To be honest, completely reproducing from the ground up would take a long time, but reproducing in the same environment should be quite possible. And, Garad, you must have some guesses about this?”

“Dammit, can’t you just let it slide?”

“Your expression is too serious for that.”

Lucy’s extraordinary conduct seemed like a joke because it went beyond common sense. However, if examined closely, they were all things that could be conceived and executed.

It wasn’t her exclusive privilege.

Realizing this made the heroes bite their lips.

If they had noticed, some of the hardships they faced in the past would have been reduced, sacrifices would have decreased, and many more could have been saved.

“Just how did that kid figure that out?”

“If I may quote her, she said she didn’t discover it but simply became aware of it.”

“What does that mean, Ruel?”

“I don’t know if it’s wisdom bestowed by Lord Jushin or wisdom she inherently possessed, but Lucy just naturally comes to know.”

Had Lucy Allen herself heard this, she might have questioned what nonsensical talk was being said, yet the heroes nodded seriously at Ruel’s words.

Otherwise, they couldn’t comprehend what Lucy had shown.

“Is it talent? Sigh. This is getting more miserable. Why was I chosen as a hero?”

“Wait! Lucy Allen made a mistake!”

Seeing Lucy, who had never failed until now, stomp her foot awkwardly for the first time, Garad raised his voice.

“Yeah! That brat’s also human; it’s impossible for her not to make a mistake!”

“…I wonder if it’s okay to be happy about Lady Allen failing.”

“Ah. That does seem true.”

“It’s fine, Garad. It’s not like you’ve been trash for just a day.”

While the heroes were bickering, Ruel kept a worried eye on Lucy.

*

“Is everything alright?”

At Grandpa’s worried question, I chuckled lightly.

‘Why? Are you worried I might mess up?’

“Why would I ask that? It’s natural.”

‘Ha ha ha. You’re adorable. I’m fine. This isn’t even a big deal.’

Having accidents during a speedrun is natural.

To achieve the best records, one has to repeatedly use techniques that seem downright absurd.

No matter how much one practices, being human means one can’t be perfect at every moment, and if a mistake occurs, a way to cope should naturally be devised.

Otherwise, previous good records could be thrown away in an instant.

In fact, even if that weren’t the case, I would have known another method. I’m someone who has attempted every kind of speedrun since the beginning of Soul Academy.

Many people misunderstand that a speedrun is a simple competition.

It’s also a collaboration where information is shared between one another. The new routes created by each merge to create the best record.

In this process, having made my own route and accepted routes from others, I know all the ways to breeze through the dungeon.

What I just failed was a technique where success or failure is determined in 1-frame increments.

If successful, it’s the fastest, but if failed, you lose about 15 seconds.

It’s a painful waste of time in a speedrun, but this is reality. I can just breezily go through with another method.

“Advance!”

Hearing the shout from behind, I drew forth the divine power.

Let’s see. The soldiers’ formation has changed from what I remembered, but the commander remains the same.

Then I can apply my technique.

Grinning, I rushed forward when suddenly knights charged from afar.

The knight at the forefront gripped his halberd tightly while mounted.

Confirming that the weapon contained magic, I took out a scroll from within and tore it. The magic lightened my weight even more.

“Catch this!”

The commander shouted, and three seconds later, I jumped.

Landing on the halberd, I absorbed the force and shot into the sky.

I still lack propulsion, but that’s fine.

Someone from behind is expected to do the add-on.

“How dare you!”

Seeing the halberd thrown, I raised my shield.

I absorbed the physical shock with my entire body, accelerating even more.

Endlessly flying into a space where the soldiers were nowhere to be seen.

Eww, how disappointing. If I were a bit more of a jerk, I could swing my weapons without a guilty conscience.

To waste one of the few places where I could go on a rampage in Soul Academy like this.

“Lucy.”

‘What’s up? You going to say you’re worried for nothing?’

“Couldn’t you do things that deviate from common sense just a little less?”

‘…Huh? This is actually more normal than the stuff I did before, right? Anyone can do it if they know the timing.’

“Be careful. If you make a mistake, you could die… sigh. Alright, just smash it quickly and move on.”

‘Yes, yes.’

*

“Lord Erginius.”

Erginius, lost in thought, slowly opened his eyes at the call of the Fairy Queen.

“The energy of the Evil God is growing stronger.”

Erginius knew the reason for the Evil God’s increasing energy.

It was because Lucy Allen’s dungeon strategy was nearing its end.

As the Evil God’s minions fell, Lord Jushin’s authority would grow stronger, and that pushback would hasten the Evil God’s resurrection.

“Soon, the Evil God shall descend upon this place.”

“Do you sense anything?”

“…No. I only physically know.”

Before awakening, the last sight Erginius saw was the boss being crushed and killed by his summoned subordinate.

Surely, the opponent I’d be facing felt like the Demon Lord leading an immortal legion, but how did things get this way?

I knew that Lady Allen would achieve a commanding victory, but I had hoped she would at least show some presence.

“Lord Erginius?”

“Ah, I apologize. I just witnessed a rather shocking scene.”

“Oh my. Really? How shocking was it?”

“I’ll show you my memory once this is all over.”

“Hmmm. It seems I might have to wait a bit.”

“No. It won’t take that long.”

After just witnessing that scene, my trust in Lady Allen soared infinitely.

If everything happened as she planned, the Void Evil God would fall without being able to resist properly.

However, I had to change my words since just mentioning my trust in Lady Allen would surely lead her to hassle me later.

“It’s because you are by my side.”

“…Lord Erginius.”

– Ha! What a ridiculous act!

From the entrance of the dungeon, an unidentified form emerged, its voice drifting out.

It appeared human yet also animalistic at times, with lifeless aspects alongside divine presences, arbitrarily changing the world’s scenery as it laughed.

– Do you truly believe you are two? Do you believe what you see is the truth? Can you really be certain that the madness created in the void is not a mere illusion?

“How strange that even to this level of expectation, it seems fitting.”

Observing the energy rippling around the Evil God, Erginius smirked and turned his gaze toward the Fairy Queen.

She smiled, bowed her head, and then gathered her hands.

“Everyone, it’s playtime!”

Over the flapping wings of the fairies revealed from the darkness, an illusion unfolded.

Not a void of nothingness, but a scenery of a forest that reminded one of spring days.

“Let’s show that boring individual some fun.”

The Fairy Queen and Erginius entered into battle with the Void Evil God.

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