I got into school for nothing - Chapter 369
I got into school for nothing (369)
Lesson 72. Babel Tower Isolation Operation - 4
The commotion stirred up by the mousetrap definitely made the subsequent operation easier.
To be honest, for A-rank dimensions, a monster wave wasn't enough to cause a fuss about the dimension being annihilated, but it was still a catastrophe that could wipe out at least one city, if not an entire nation.
The more prosperous a dimension was, the more it had to pay attention to the mousetrap for the sake of its safety. Of course, many argued that cutting off the connection to the Union Net for that reason was absurd—yet, it was enough to create a temporary stir and buy Ban Yuwon's party time to move.
“Success!”
“This means everything is done, right?!”
To Luisha, who was catching her breath while fighting against the Imperial Knights, the elite of the A-2 Dimension, Ban Yuwon loudly responded.
“Everything we could do here is finished! Now we just need to flip them off and retreat!”
Luisha, the junior who readily followed her senior's words, gave the finger to those she had been fighting with both hands and followed behind him.
“Ban Yuwon—! How long do you think you can get away with this tyranny, relying on the Ten Great Families—?!”
“Just you wait until the day this pathetic barrier you made shatters!”
“If you manage to shatter it beautifully into a star shape, we’ll give you a complimentary gift—.”
What was the point? No matter how this ended, some of these dimensions wouldn't even need to be worried about anymore.
After giving them a final taunt with Luisha, Ban Yuwon immediately summoned Lilyth and entered the dimensional wall.
“Lilyth, what's happening with the others?”
—Only one A-rank dimension left. You know which one, right? A-4 Dimension.
“Ah, right.”
Lilyth, using her ability to create clones, was responsible for transporting all members working on the dimensional barrier in real-time. Thus, she could instantly share updates even without Mira present.
And the A-4 Dimension... that referred to Diabolo, ruled by the Demon King, who was none other than the father of the former student council president, Shatie.
“That person definitely can't be persuaded with words... And calling my father there would be a waste of manpower.”
Ban Yuwon sighed and opened a communication channel with Shatie.
Shatie appeared on the video call, grinning as if she had been waiting, and Ban Yuwon, finding her somewhat annoying, spoke to her.
“Can you do it, Senior?”
—Oh, absolutely. I've been waiting for this moment. Want to see the leave of absence form I'm writing? The title, for now, is 'Going to Inherit the Throne'....
“Do you want to get fired right after becoming a full professor?”
—Says the one who jeopardized someone else's job.
Shatie, who had retorted with an incredulous tone, suddenly smirked and added.
—That old man will quiet down if he gets beaten by me one-on-one. Don't worry, I became a full professor at the Academy thanks to someone, you know.
“Make sure to renew your buffs before you go.”
—If Union still stands, I'll see you again at Union later. Without Mira knowing!
Shatie winked charmingly, blew a kiss, and ended the call.
Luisha, who was sitting next to him, narrowed her eyes and looked at him.
“Senior, surely not her too...?”
“No, Senior Shatie isn't.”
Ban Yuwon chuckled at himself for still referring to Shatie as 'Senior,' a title that hadn't left his lips even months after her graduation. Nevertheless, he shrugged his shoulders and explained to Luisha, who couldn't hide her suspicion.
“Well... she said openly dating me would be a bit much, but she wants to meet me secretly, behind Mira's back. She wants to casually reveal the truth to an unsuspecting Mira one day and tease her mercilessly.”
“She truly has a terrible personality! How on earth does she manage to maintain a friendship with Associate Professor Mira while saying such things?!”
“Her very existence is specialized in teasing and tormenting others. Their way of thinking is different from ours.”
Among the Evil Ones, Shatie was still the best of the bunch, so it would be a good thing for the future of the universe if she were the one in charge....
“So, will you meet her? Secretly, behind Associate Professor Mira's back?”
“No, absolutely not.”
Ban Yuwon replied firmly.
“Ending one war only to plant the seeds of a new one would be utterly foolish. And to be honest, I don't like that Senior that much.”
“...About that matter, Senior.”
It was at that very moment, as Luisha carefully scooted closer to him, speaking in a slightly coy voice.
[It's started, Master!]
At Lilyth's perfectly timed report, Luisha clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed.
The multiple screens Lilyth displayed showed videos being broadcast from the official channels of the Ten Great Families, each representing an S-rank dimension. It was astonishing that every single one was either a family head or an individual of equivalent standing.
Ban Yumi, head of Prominence.
Aire, head of Melodia.
The head of Hecate, and his daughter, Clio Hecate.
The Sword King, serving as interim head of Clarent, and the daughter of the former head.
The head of Selene, and even Yumina, the last descendant of the annihilated Juventa and also the daughter of Selene.
Of course, Fridwen and Fides, which had recently been 'integrated' into the Tower, and Amore, who was hostile to them... as well as Ortima, were nowhere to be seen.
As if to fill their empty spots, the Fairy Queen of Fairytale, the most prosperous A-1 Dimension among the A-rank dimensions, subtly slipping in was chalked up to charming mischief.
“It's truly begun....”
Through a massive operation spanning several weeks, they succeeded in severing the connection between the Tower of Babel and all other dimensions—almost all dimensions.
Naturally, the Constellations' activities were greatly curtailed, access to the Union Net became impossible, and the benefits of the System were no longer available.
A miracle achieved in just a few years by Ban Yuwon, the Tower Lord's descendant, after he resolved to bring down the Tower of Babel.
It would have been a grueling task had he not secured the alliance of the Ten Great Families.
And now, the Ten Great Families, allied with him, were simultaneously raising the artifacts imbued with the Authority Ban Yuwon had bestowed upon them, intending to isolate their dimensions from the Union Net.
“It's truly a sight I can't get used to. This must be the first time something like this has happened since the term 'Ten Great Families' became established.”
[Only half of them are left, though.]
“Lusein Ortima... I wonder what he's up to.”
Shatie wasn't much of a concern, but Lusein was different.
That guy confidently departed for the Ketiuses Dimension, but there's been no contact from him so far.
At this rate, it seemed he wouldn't even be able to close off the Ketiuses Dimension and would just enter the Tower of Babel as is.
“It's fine, please push through.”
However, Luisha, who was Lusein's cousin and also the future heir to inherit the Ketiuses Dimension, urged him on with a calm expression.
“Neither my brother nor the Family Head are foolish. If they don't accept Senior's barrier, they will surely formulate their own countermeasures.”
“I truly can't understand the Ortima Family's confidence.”
[Entering Union!]
Around the same time their spaceship entered Union, each family activated the barrier artifacts imbued with Ban Yuwon's Authority.
Prominence, Melodia, Hecate, Clarent, Selene, and of course, even Fairytale.
As connections to the Union Net were severed one after another, and screens went dark, he whistled briefly. Before he knew it, the full panorama of Union came into view.
And even the sight of Earth, visible in a corner of the sky.
“...The connection really has been severed, right?”
“Strictly speaking, it's more accurate to say it's an operation to perfectly re-separate what was originally a single star.”
Whether Union was a part of Earth, or Earth a part of Union, that no longer mattered.
Ban Yuwon led Lilyth and approached the floating island suspended high above Union.
Before long, he could see a massive barrier cast over the entire floating island.
All the Academy students had come outside and were looking up at something.
Surprisingly, it was a life-sized human-shaped doll!
“Surely... the Chancellor?”
—You are no longer the Master.
The striking feature of a human-sized doll, the overwhelming aura emanating from it—and above all, a presence that felt strangely familiar and even intimate—made him hazard a question. The response was exactly as he'd expected.
The Chancellor, who had shown only the form of a doll throughout the three years Ban Yuwon had known him, had appeared in the same doll form even at this very moment, when Ban Yuwon intended to settle things with the Tower.
Ban Yuwon, slightly weary of it, nevertheless replied with his true feelings to the Chancellor, who spoke in a rather bitter tone.
“Now, I should become the Master.”
—An excellent mindset. You might even be able to graduate early.
Ban Yuwon couldn't help but laugh at the Chancellor's jest.
Then, spotting a colossal eye floating at the center of Union's barrier, he wondered if that might be the Chancellor's true form, but it didn't seem to be the case.
No, wait a minute. Could this possibly be....
“The entire island... Surely this floating island is.”
Only upon seeing the Chancellor, who had appeared not as a small doll but as a life-sized doll capable of fully wielding his true power, did Ban Yuwon finally begin to grasp his true identity.
He was now able to more closely discern where his origin was connected.
“This is truly absurd.”
—Are you afraid of the power of your predecessors?
“Not that. I just thought it must have been difficult.”
The Chancellor didn't laugh this time.
As he and the Chancellor faced each other, Ban Yuwon's companions began to join them one by one, piercing through the dimensional wall.
Having isolated the Tower of Babel from almost all dimensions, with the exception of a very few, now... only the Tower of Babel remained.
“Whew....”
But if, as Ban Yuwon suspected, the Chancellor's true form was this 'entire floating island'—
No matter how much his abilities had grown, no matter how extraordinary the abilities of his companions were, even if they could destroy the entire island, they wouldn't be able to approach the Tower of Babel without his permission.
“Do we have to fight?”
—We? Why?
However, the Chancellor countered Ban Yuwon, who had steeled himself to speak, with a tone of incomprehension.
—You realized the truth on Earth. You realized that the Tower should not simply be destroyed.
“Yes, well, that's why I've been researching and striving, cutting off the Tower of Babel's Authority, so to speak.”
—And now you intend to reveal the Tower's true form and challenge it.
“That's right.”
When he considered that destroying the Tower could potentially lead to disaster, and when he keenly realized anew the immense role the Union Net, formed in the Tower's process, played across all dimensions, even though the Tower's ultimate purpose could never be affirmed, Ban Yuwon abandoned all previous plans and conceived a new idea.
If he prevented the Tower from annihilating other dimensions, if he blocked all external pathways and left only the Tower itself standing, wouldn't the Tower be forced to reveal its deepest parts to the challenger?
If one reached that place, wouldn't that truly be considered conquering the Tower?
Ordinary climbers who challenged it without knowing the truth wouldn't do.
Even if one enjoyed the hidden benefits provided by the Tower through its connection to Earth and sought to rule as a manager, one still couldn't reach the Tower's true form.
But if he thoroughly pushed the Tower, forcing it to reveal all its secrets, wouldn't he ultimately be able to observe the Tower's origin?
‘And if I can reach that place, I can definitely overwrite the Tower with my Authority.’
Such a powerful conviction had guided Ban Yuwon until now.
Surprisingly, the Chancellor affirmed it without much sign of anger.
—This is certainly not what your predecessors wished for, nor is it the outcome I, who inherited their will, desire. However.
“However?”
—Nevertheless, the Tower will remain, and you will transform it with talent surpassing your predecessors. I am the Chancellor of Union Academy, guiding those who challenge the Tower—so I have no reason to stand in your way.
“...Really?”
—Indeed. You have chosen the correct answer.
Of course, someone inside the Tower won't think so—the Chancellor added, smiling.
Ban Yuwon finally understood what his final trial would be.
—Go, and dominate the Tower as you see fit.
The Chancellor opened the barrier.
If he was going to let them in so easily, the question of why he had erected the barrier in the first place lingered... but Ban Yuwon calmly led his team members inside the barrier.
—To the Constellations trapped within the Tower....
As he passed him, the Chancellor seemed about to open his mouth again, to say something else, but then—
—No, never mind. ...Go.
He closed his mouth again.
As Ban Yuwon silently patted the Chancellor's shoulder and walked past, the Chancellor's eyes widened slightly for a moment... but soon, he, too, let out a faint chuckle.
Having entered the floating island, the party felt the gaze of the students who had come out of the Academy to look up at them. They chuckled, then soon realized why everyone was outside.
“The Tower has completely gone dark?!”
“It looks like it intends to stop us from entering, as if it's trying to summon monsters!”
“Ugh, I wondered why the professor let us all in at once.”
Seeing the entire Tower enveloped in a dense black mist, as if an infection wave had erupted, Yumina gave a wry smile and raised her staff.
“It seems we really have to deal with the Tower from outside. Yuwon, finish it quickly before something big happens, okay?”
“Okay, I got it.”
In contrast to Team Rebellion, who quickly gathered, Yumina and the rest of the party surrounded the Tower of Babel from all sides, which looked ready to spew forth monsters at any moment.
“Students, help too! Those with abilities, don't just stand there watching—step forward and do your part!”
At Mira's booming voice, even the bewildered students who had been wandering aimlessly finally began to rush out en masse. The sight was truly spectacular, and the determined faculty also started to move.
Leading his party towards the Tower, Ban Yuwon smirked.
“Now it finally feels like the final chapter.”
“Heehee.”
As they approached, the Tower began to unleash its wave in earnest.
A colossal Minotaur appeared, blocking the Tower's main entrance, and let out a roar. Ban Yuwon reached out his hand, but before he could act, someone else stepped forward and sliced the beast from head to crotch.
It was Kang Eunyoung.
“Oh, Mom.”
“Son.”
Kang Eunyoung spoke in a soft yet resolute tone.
“Go bring my husband back. Understood?”
“Yes.”
With the help of their companions, Team Rebellion, having overcome countless obstacles, entered the Tower.
The Tower went berserk, and everyone on the floating island, whether they liked it or not, had to stop it.
The Chancellor, looking down at the chaos, let out a bitter chuckle, then turned his colossal eye once more towards the dimensional wall.
The dimensional wall opened, and a vast army poured out, as if they had been waiting for this very moment.
—Exodus's full force... So they were still holding back.
Those who sought to bring down the Tower.
Those who knew how.
The one who commanded such individuals.
—Ortima... did you finally kill your son and come?
At the Chancellor's quiet murmur, a voice responded from above.
—A son, you say. One can always simply have another.
The hidden master of the dimension pirate group, Exodus.
Now that Amore of the S-1 Dimension had tucked its tail and fled, he was, in name and reality, the strongest among the Ten Great Dimensions.
The man, father of Lusein Ortima and head of the Ortima family, Lumen Ortima, finally made his first appearance in Union.
—After I become a god.
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