I got into school for nothing - Chapter 243
I got into school for nothing (243)
Lesson 47. Reversal of Reversal - 3
The Union Journey Club, totaling twenty members including Rebellion, had now truly attained a position that everyone would acknowledge, even if they were to compete in the special club competition.
Needless to say, the leading Rebellion members were exceptional, but the Special Admissions for Lower-Rank Dimensions students, most of whom had served as an embossed stepping stone, effectively cushioning the very bottom of the grade rankings, had solidified their foundations during the past first semester, developed their innate unique abilities over the summer vacation, and by the second semester, were showcasing performances that completely overwhelmed their peers in the same grade.
‘In truth, it was only natural.’
While most students were selected from higher-ranking dimensions, those chosen through special admissions from lower-ranking dimensions possessed distinct strengths that set them apart.
With Ban Yuwon's Authority developing and guiding their potential, it would be odd if they didn't receive high praise.
“From now on, this ship belongs to Lord Cartro El Fassis!”
“That is, if some members would stop with these idiotic antics...”
At this rate, it's less of a Union 'Journey' and more of a Union 'Oddity'...
Ban Yuwon let out a low sigh as he watched Stonemason, who had been caught by the club members while attempting a coup and was being beaten to a pulp.
The motive for the coup was simple.
He, who had now managed to create talismans that boosted all abilities by a full 15%, had begun to act wildly, claiming that before the upcoming competition, he should oust Ban Yuwon and the Rebellion members and officially seize the position of club representative.
Of course, his ability to strengthen all club members was powerful enough to befit a representative, but the other members, knowing that it was thanks to Ban Yuwon that he had grown this far, would never condone his coup.
No, in fact, that Stonemason fellow calmly pulls off preposterous stunts, so much so that one can never tell if he's serious or joking.
While it certainly elicits shivers, there is absolutely no room for admiration.
However...
‘Indeed, the time for these kinds of charades is over. The timing is just right.’
He had certainly caught on to something that he had wanted to convey to Ban Yuwon all along.
In truth, he had known it for a while, but had deliberately pretended not to know, intending to settle it all at once.
However, the spaceship had departed, and there would be no turning back until all the accumulated matters were resolved.
No one here can turn back.
So, it was time to stop just laughing and treating his senior like a mere 'Stonemason'.
“Ban Yuwon, what a reign of terror brings is ruin and collapse! If not me, then a second Cartro, a third Cartro will appear, and your fraudulent contract will be— *mmph!*”
“Shall we have a little chat, Senior?”
“No, leave him there.”
Woohyeolrin, who had appeared suddenly, tried to abduct Stonemason and take him away, but Ban Yuwon stopped him.
Woohyeolrin had previously shown himself to be restraining Stonemason whenever he made excessive remarks, but his visibly nervous demeanor now suggested he was trying to prevent Stonemason from speaking further.
Come to think of it, he had just mentioned a 'fraudulent contract'.
Contract.
As expected.
“It seems I'll have to personally conduct a little 're-education' for Senior Stonemason.”
“Haha, leave it to me. It seems this person has a lot of pent-up feelings...”
“Leave him.”
Ban Yuwon spoke, imbuing his words with Codeword.
Indeed, whether what he had learned from his grandfather's writings was effective, Woohyeolrin, who had seemed about to drag Stonemason away and disappear, abruptly froze in place.
As if in great shock, he blinked and with difficulty opened his mouth to speak.
“Uh... what did you say?”
“I said, leave him and go.”
When Ban Yuwon, who had brushed off even Stonemason's coup as a jest, spoke with a serious expression, Woohyeolrin could no longer maintain his cheerful facade.
Cartro El Fassis, caught in the middle, blinked his eyes.
Woohyeolrin's grip on his shoulder visibly tightened.
“Junior Ban Yuwon? Even so, I am your senior, so wouldn’t it be proper for us to speak with mutual respect...?”
“Woohyeolrin, don't make me repeat myself, it's annoying.”
Ban Yuwon sighed and reached out a hand.
A single Stormrain Sword slid out of his inventory and aimed its chillingly glowing blade at Woohyeolrin's throat.
To an uninformed observer, such an abrupt outburst would seem utterly unprovoked.
Indeed, among the members of the Union Journey Club, there were those who were genuinely surprised.
Mobilizing his Authority to check on all of them, Ban Yuwon continued.
“Leave him here, and get lost. Or, do you want to try me now?”
“Ha, haha...”
Woohyeolrin's wavering eyes, which had seemed to be contemplating something, closed tightly and then opened again. The next moment, he released Cartro's shoulder and retreated as if his resolve had completely drained away.
“It's nothing serious, but you're being unusually solemn, Junior. Why are you suddenly making people feel so awkward? If something's bothering you, you should say it; expressing it through such an attitude is hardly commendable.”
“Right, so you're backing out for now? Of course, you're not confident yet.”
At Ban Yuwon's scoffing words, Woohyeolrin, wearing an expression that suggested he didn't understand, retreated another step or two.
“You seem to be gravely mistaken about something—let's talk later. It's a special club competition, so let's calm down a bit. I was just trying to soothe Senior Cartro, you know?”
“If you knew, you would have stepped up long ago. Why are you confused by my actions at this moment? Aren't you thinking I'm a fool internally?”
“You...”
“That's because you're only that capable. You were too obvious from the start, so I wasn't really scared. You were so obvious, even Mira would know, wouldn't she?”
Woohyeolrin's face instantly flushed crimson.
Even if he pretended not to know about everything else, it seemed he couldn't possibly hide his true feelings when the topic of the woman he held dear came up.
A faint flicker of a curse's trace, a blade of Authority flicking out like a tongue towards Ban Yuwon, was glimpsed for a moment before vanishing.
Seeing that, Ban Yuwon didn't provoke him further.
After all, the selection of personnel was perfectly complete with this.
Ban Yuwon, retrieving his Stormrain Sword, let out a scoff and waved his hand.
“I've said all I needed to say, so off you go.”
“...Alright. I don't know why you're acting this way, but I hope you calm down by the time we arrive at the abandoned dimension. Let's talk again then.”
Woohyeolrin turned and disappeared.
Seeing a few members move to follow him, then stop in their tracks after receiving his fierce glare, Ban Yuwon scoffed.
The atmosphere inside the spaceship remained frozen.
A gaze of disdain he hadn't experienced since awakening his Authority, this humiliating stare, as if he were an oblivious fool!
Amidst this, there was one person who alone failed to grasp the situation and merely tilted her head.
“Yuwon, why didn't you kill him?”
No, quite the opposite.
She had understood the situation all too well.
Even if emotions were beyond her grasp, she was more sensitive than anyone else to the intricate flow of mana.
“Aire.”
“It would be more convenient to kill him now. His strength is nothing special, but his ability is annoying.”
Aire spoke in a light tone, as if discussing an insect that could be crushed with a finger, as she conjured a small ice arrow above her palm.
Some club members, thinking she was making the sort of repulsive joke typical of higher-dimension students, offered bitter smiles that conveyed, 'She's no different after all', but Ban Yuwon, knowing she was utterly serious, hurriedly approached and grabbed her hand.
“It's against academy rules for students to seek each other's lives, Aire.”
“You could just deceive them, couldn't you?”
Well, he could, but.
“Still, no.”
“...Understood. Tell me anytime if you need help.”
“Of course. Thank you.”
Honestly, Ban Yuwon had not expected her to follow him to this competition, not even as of this morning.
From the start, he had intended to resolve this matter himself, and Aire's club participation was, after all, an impromptu activity, always dependent on her mood.
...More than anything, she wasn't even from a lower-ranked dimension.
But for some change of heart, she had simply followed Ban Yuwon this morning, as if it were nothing.
Of course, as she was officially a member of the Union Journey Club, she faced no sanctions from anyone.
In truth, Cartro's and Woohyeolrin's expressions had already been quite a sight to behold since then.
‘They wouldn't abandon what they intended to do just because Aire was here, but it would certainly be more difficult for them.’
Simply by imposing a burden on those guys, Aire was already playing her role perfectly.
With a grateful heart, Ban Yuwon took out the tea he kept in his inventory and poured it for her.
“Your turn will come. Until then, rest easy.”
“Mm—alright. ...Dragon-Slayer, come here. Play with me.”
“I told you not to call me Dragon-Slayer! I didn't kill a dragon!”
“Our Dragon-Slayer is cute.”
Aire, accepting the teacup and giving a small smile, beckoned to Asha, and though Asha wore a tearful expression, she dutifully moved towards Aire.
Seeing that, perhaps Aire had simply followed out of concern for Asha.
Her sensitive reaction when Asha changed in the second semester, and her strong insistence on participating in the special match herself, both pointed to that.
Their interactions mostly occurred where Ban Yuwon couldn't see, but they seemed far closer than he had ever imagined.
Even though he felt a slight sense of exclusion from it, watching the two beautiful girls, whose silver and golden hair created a pleasing contrast, playfully bicker always brought a smile to his face.
“So... I've chased away the pest, do you have anything more to say to me?”
Ban Yuwon, turning his gaze to Cartro who was still staring blankly at him, spoke leisurely.
With the effortless mastery of his Giwon Sword style, as natural as breathing, a sound-proof barrier had already formed, encompassing him and Cartro.
Cartro, noticing the barrier, wore an expression of momentary intimidation at Ban Yuwon's ability usage, but quickly remembered his own predicament and cried out in an exaggerated voice.
“Turn the ship around! We're going back to the Academy!”
Even with a barrier set up for him, he still speaks in such a roundabout way.
He sighed and replied.
“That's not happening. If it were, I would have resolved it long ago.”
“G-give back the talismans! I refuse to use my ability!”
“The talismans distributed to the members? Ah, so you've pulled some trick with those too. It's fine, though. I made those talismans myself.”
“...”
Cartro, utterly dumbfounded, gaped and then finally shut his mouth.
Ban Yuwon couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.
“Senior, you've always been like this, but you truly are an ambiguous person to the very end.”
“Ugh—”
“If you're going to surrender, I wish you'd do it decisively. If you're going to betray, then do it perfectly. ...Right, well, there must be a reason why you couldn't do either and merely played the fool. Perhaps some kind of restriction. Emotionally, it seems you're on our side.”
Ban Yuwon shrugged and snapped his fingers.
Several Stormrain Swords sprang from his inventory and surrounded Cartro, sharing his Won-gi to form a perfect barrier that made it impossible to interfere with them from both inside and out, not just audibly, but physically and magically.
As long as the Won-gi within the Stormrain Swords didn't run out, the barrier wouldn't dissipate, and as long as Ban Yuwon and the Stormrain Swords resonated, Won-gi would continuously be supplied, meaning no one could break this barrier.
He likely wouldn't attempt to cross the barrier first, but it was a precautionary measure, just in case.
“Considering all that, my final judgment is that you, Senior, are to be left alone. I hope you survive.”
After completing his preparations, he turned to face the monitor, and Rucell reported.
“We'll break through the dimensional wall soon, Master.”
“Oh? It's always so fast that it doesn't even feel like a journey. Everyone, get ready. And, those whose names I call now, come over here.”
Starting with Kshana, nine members whose names he called hesitantly approached Ban Yuwon.
All of them seemed tense, caught off guard by the sudden confrontation between Ban Yuwon, Woohyeolrin, and Cartro, which had created an ominous atmosphere.
“J-Junior Yuwon, I really don't understand what's going on right now... T-truly. Truly!”
“I know, Senior Kshana.”
The one who stood out most after Cartro, possessing the unique ability to manipulate 'sound'.
If Kshana, on whom Ban Yuwon had put so much effort, had turned out to be a traitor, Ban Yuwon would probably be showering in tears right now.
“All of you have done well so far. You have shown your trust through your actions. In that sense, I've decided to release you from the contract, which was nothing more than a meaningless formality.”
“C-contract? Ah, that thing from when we joined the club—”
“That's right.”
When Ban Yuwon accepted the Special Admissions for Lower-Rank Dimensions students into the club, he made a contract with all of them.
A contract based on 'strict secrecy' and 'no betrayal', with the condition of 'obeying Ban Yuwon's words as long as he is enrolled in the Academy'.
Even thinking about it now, it was an incredibly coercive contract, bordering on outrageous, yet they had willingly complied.
“Because even without this, you wouldn't betray me.”
“R-right. There was a contract. But...”
Kshana wore an anxious expression as she looked at the other club members, who had now distanced themselves and stood on the opposite side—exuding an aura as if they were about to go to war.
While she didn't have a particularly deep relationship with Ban Yuwon, she had offered him such blind support that she had sided with him without question in the farce Ban Yuwon had just played out with Woohyeolrin.
“'No betrayal,' it said... but...”
“In truth, it was a contract in name only, effectively meaningless. I hadn't set any penalty for you to pay if you violated the conditions I presented.”
The moment he uttered those words, Woohyeolrin, who had been observing him from a distance, showed a clearly flustered reaction.
He seemed surprised that Ban Yuwon himself was aware of that fact.
But Ban Yuwon continued calmly, regardless of Woohyeolrin's confusion.
“So, I will terminate it starting now. Do you agree?”
“Uh, yeah.”
Kshana, who was quick-witted, realized that there was a significant reason for Ban Yuwon to specifically mention the contract at this moment, and immediately nodded her head.
The others also nodded, following her lead—and with that, the threads of the contract connecting them and Ban Yuwon were easily untied.
“Good, the contract has been terminated. Then, I look forward to your continued cooperation.”
“Don't be ridiculous!”
Finally, Woohyeolrin erupted.
It was the moment he had been waiting for.
“Don't act like you knew everything all along now. That contract you forced upon us is an unjust contract! I will complete this unfinalized contract, which you failed to stipulate a price for! The cost is not for us to bear, but for you to bear!”
With each word Woohyeolrin spoke, Ban Yuwon detected a release of purplish magical energy into the air.
He had mentioned making a contract with a Constellation that wielded the power of curses, the Gravedigger of Purgatory, hadn't he?
It must have resonated well with Woohyeolrin's innate unique ability to control curses.
Ban Yuwon felt a highly concentrated power of curses, difficult to counter with his own depth 250 curses, attempting to bind him, and he let out a deep breath.
“Is that the Geas (Curse) you set?”
“Yes! Within the conditions I set, I gain the power to overturn reason! That unjust contract you presented to us—by violating it, I gain power! And now—I am the master of the contract.”
Clank! Dark purple chains, connecting Ban Yuwon to the remaining seven club members, excluding the nine whose contracts had just been terminated, materialized.
Woohyeolrin gripped them in his hand and bravely declared.
“The contract is still valid, so even if we attack you, you can never harm us! The price for violating the contract is your death! And my contracted Constellation, the Gravedigger of Purgatory, extends the scope of this contract—! Not just here, but to all allies who support me!”
Somehow, it sounded like he was explaining the effect of a trap card in a card game.
Just as Ban Yuwon began to feel uneasy, wondering if he, too, should activate the reverse effect of a face-down card he had prepared, the spaceship, right on cue, swiftly broke through the dimensional wall and the barricade installed to protect other dimensions.
No, rather, Woohyeolrin had likely waited for this very moment to reveal his ability.
“Wow, Master. Look...!”
Rucell's voice sounded dreamy.
Through the spaceship's monitor, the dismal landscape beyond the dimensional wall was clearly revealed.
And beyond that, countless pirate fleets awaited.
The purple chains Woohyeolrin held expanded and swelled, passing through the spaceship and stretching out towards them—a truly astonishing sight.
Indeed, as Aire had said, it was certainly a tricky and formidable ability.
As he was marveling at it, a crackling noise suddenly swept across the entire spaceship, and soon, a message burst forth from a successfully connected ship, directed at them.
―Ban Yuwon, we have arrived—!”
“They're not even giant space monsters, yet they strike such ridiculously dramatic poses.”
Ban Yuwon muttered in exasperation, and peered beyond the monitor at the 'allies' Woohyeolrin had spoken of.
The coordinates of the abandoned dimension, which no one but the participating members of this competition and the Chancellor overseeing it should know.
The fleet of dimension pirates, Exodus, who had already arrived there and were awaiting Ban Yuwon's arrival.
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