COI C116
Years ago, “Dexter Guild’s predecessor. According to the reports from your successor, Archscientist Lady Coheld, that you violated your own research through your claims or your terms as ‘theory’ had done nothing to improve the project you were assigned to do. Only one person survived all trials and experiments, due to the facts you kept in secret that this person is influenced by daemos origins. What is your defense for this accusation?”
“(He said his claims)”
“Lord Lori’es, how do you verdict in this?”
“I have not yet judged this action. As proof as it is called as subjects’ criminal origin, the survivor is clearly a victim . . .”
Archivist was young who joined a group of scholars from Raker Mawn guild, his mother was one of them and bring him along as he would be the one who will replace her in her place. The Viste family has strong connection of immigrating their fellow people from Circoston region to Enders Bridge, as history goes into meaningless effort as the world keep continue the idea of the old era, Heroes and Demons era, as Kinteinnou region was the last stronghold of the Heroes faction. It was that time led to here during this desperate case.
Already forgotten to its renaissance purpose, the Dexter Guild, one of the first founders of Enders Bridge have shown great conspiracy of reviving something. All hidden throughout the years and today is where they have been judged of exceeding the boundary of all life. They don’t know was that survivor was, and Haw himself as a former Dexter Guild, never know about it either. Either way, they both know that they can’t trust in some of groups or what they called themselves as departments. That gauntlet is suspicious to him, and on that day at the end of the week. He sets his foot on the sand where the school is bringing up an event.
“It’s been more than few weeks during this moon cycle. We have two months left before proving yourself”
“I get it, Archivist. Don’t be a spoiled sport. Haw had promised our own personal gear, and we did take our time enjoying the city”
“What about those . . .”
“Hap, pap, pup . . . don’t mention adult themes in front of the students”
Archivist looks at the student as they all wearing their first adventuring equipment. They look less like any adventurer and more of their version of fantasy clothes. Tabitha sees some nostalgic classic DnD that she thought they were wearing. It’s likely from an isekai anime.
The Sister’s Hope Highschool made it to the beach with their students, a very large mass of people to this very beach. Coral and Quail are the ones who will be supervising while the other teachers will be assisting them in their adventure. Alche sees the Enders with his very own eyes. It’s the mask man that Haw mentioned about, he goes to them to see what’s up.
“Hello, you must be Haw’s colleague, right?”
Tabitha turns around and nods “Yeah, we are doing miscellaneous work for the students for those who want to do something else”
“Of course, they want to forage for money”
“Nervously laughing* (Well, that’s how adventuring always is, right?)”
The host sees the three schools of Isekai City, the school from Chojima District, South Shore Bay, and Mihayara District. The numbers only reached by the hundreds as for Chojima is the largest with only misplaced students transferred there. This idea was organized by the education department, to be as the substitute instead of the dungeon inside of the forest. This part of the southwest border is safe enough to do some quest. From what they see is nothing but open breeze by the shore. The students look disappointed until something coming to the shore.
The sea serpent from the city guild swims under the sea, filled a still habitable section where sea monsters migrate. It got disturbed and frighten by the serpent as it goes to the shore. The monsters sprung up to the shore as they are reptilian or fish like creature. A strange sight to believe to see something different than what they have seen in the fantasy world. Aquatic creatures using magic as they fled to the surface, the dangers of them grew as their body radiate with spells. Actual monsters to have neutral mana in their bodies.
The organizers release the platforms to create an artificial terrain, a dome formed to shelled across the area. A massive realm is form, instead of a portal, it transforms the sea into a new form of land. A theme park from what they see, and the lifeforms still carried to the surface. Coming from the ocean name Spheris Ocean, where the seabed can be seen and the organisms that lived there are edible to some extent. Monsters that lived there are safe to hunt as the domain didn’t fit the humongous monsters from the deep. In the ocean to east of Kinteinnou region, that is the only ocean that they will never travel.
The event is about to begin. “Alright students, behold to your new training ground. This is temporary and it only last for two days, thankfully its Thursday and we have the time of your life. These monsters are both able to fight and use magic. So be careful, three schools should cooperate one another to have quick raid if you like. I would like to say to you all to behave as we provided you a failsafe can only be done once. We are strict at this moment as these monsters have special abilities that will end this event earlier. Without further a due, it’s on your own, everyone”
The realm is formed and transformed into a water theme park, all monsters trap inside as they wondering around through the artificial deep. A portal appeared where monsters go in and out. Through that portal, it was the sea serpent guide them to it as they passed by. The serpent returns back to the sea as it is trained to make magic portals for the monsters and the nature to be brought here. The people who watch it all happened tries to look closer as the excitement had made their mind blown. A realm with no name, a temporary existence for the schools’ event.
Archivist is being huddled around by the Sister’s Hope students. Their expectations are the same like Haw was here, Quail looks at him as his mask covered his face with only a blank expression. He says to the student
“Anyhow, do you know anybody called the shield student? I am requesting something for him”
They turned to him as they him called out as a joke. “You hear that recruit, come at him”
They laugh as the shield student was expecting to be like this. He goes to him and hesitated “Yes, Sir?”
“I know you kids were camping outside of the city. Last time, not all of you are hunting the big game. Now I want all of you to join”
They were all shocked and at the same time excited, those cheery voice almost let out as the teachers looking at them suspiciously. The teachers said “Remember, you have only one try to enter it. When that failsafe is gone, you can’t get anything anymore. You guys also have those rare items with you”
The students who had the items were a bit cheeky about it. Holding the equipment at hand and the special gifts made by Haw himself, then they remind themselves as they thought about the chances to get through this.
The students, who were given the gifts from Haw, march to him and show them the items at hand. The armor, the staff, and the gemstone are place before him. His eyes look at them bringing some very effective item, and more so to the students who are enthusiastic for someone to use it. He asks
“Are these Haw made?”
“Yeah, we know how to use it, but from what happened in the island. There are so many things it can use for. How about you? We want to see how you use it”
He puts away the ivory plating then keeps the staff and the stone. As he touched the gem, the roughness and the power it felt. He felt the same property as a soulstone. Meaning, this gem is alive and can use elven magic. Tabitha linked with his mind as what he thought about. Elven magic, she grips nothing as she pretends to feel the container she has filled with small wisps. She was distracted, but forced herself to reach them out
“Alright, alright, everybody gets ready yourself to enter the realm. If you wish to decide to follow other students then we . . .”
During that moment, the other schools with Agatheans are guiding their students. They entered the bountiful parts of the realm. Tabitha stops and the students see the chaos happened inside the realm. The sea creatures are controlling the waters as it floods them in without a chance to react. The students were prepared but not much as the monsters inside torrent itself to break through their barriers. The sea monsters used magic as it breaks the students’ defense as the surprised barrage heavying down with water.
The failsafe didn’t activate, but they brought out the students safely as they forced one of the sea monsters out from the water. One of the monsters before them. Archivist calls out to the shield student
“Lend me the gauntlet”
Without hesitation he gives it to him, he wears it and quickly runs to the monster, siphoning its magic. The monster broke free as its form revealed from its watery shell. An aquatic shell fish covered by sea plantation, and with its hard surface, it could be barnacles or other mollusk species put together. The way it reacts, it moves as one creature.
Archivist turns to the people who brought it out “Hey, can you guys handle it?”
They turned to their students “Will anyone of you would like to try?”
the students charge at it as the monster casts a spell, powerful pressurized water being casted and spread among the students, they tried to fight back with magic. Their magic is being molded and formed into an organism. They fled back as they try to remove sea infected spells. The Agathean sees them as amateurs as the monster is identical from the northern region. They respond to him
“You go ahead, the students need a lot to learn”
Archivist nodded as he charges forward and stun the monster with his fist, unleash the energy from his gauntlet to extend the duration. Continue to beat it with his gauntlet, he brings it to them.
“This is your first lesson, bonk* if any of you know of a monster that can contaminate magic?”
One of them raised their hand, “Of course, Fungus type monster, or what the goblins called plague. They are found in northern areas of the region where can be found at caves, actual stone caves, they similarly used magic but it’s made purely biological”
Archivist nods, bonk* “Good, and this monster is its relative. Sadly, this realm quickly builds up their magic, its squirting defense and its contamination made it too powerful”
Archivist builds up the mana around them then fused to its front mouth. As it recovers then quickly react. The compounded magic being pact together explode in a straight direction. The contamination burst out as the magic formed into reefs then hardened in place. Archivist stuns it again as the flawed already showing.
“This monster is harmless, and exposed inside that realm, I’m guessing to only way for it not being overwhelmed is to bring it back to the sea. But why would I do it?”
The students made a smiling expression as he pushes it away, the magic flowed to it is starting to release microbes and other contaminants into the air. The shell fish floats up to the air as the magic barrier enclosed to both of them. It is Tabitha’s turn to teach to them
“I know it is sudden, but Archivist wants someone to fight along with him. He has the gauntlet and gemstone. If any of you like to fight alongside with him, either be one or many. I recommend only one, because it will get itchy inside”
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The shield student stands back as everyone is telling him to let them do it. His friends said to him “Wow, this man is also part of your guild too. Oh man, who else out there be this cool?”
“I don’t know, but I know they can’t bring their actual weapons though”
“Yeah . . . Oh look, it’s him again”
“I never thought we could see his cocky grin”
The student comes forth acting luxurious than always. Bringing out a potion, Enders designed potion, as Archivist read it “Air Force Potion, in its original bottle. Who are you exactly?”
The kid laughs “Well, well, then teacher Haw didn’t mention about me. I am Flourance Gilgas and I’m . . .”
Archivist makes it quick “There is no need for special entrance. Do you want to try the monster?”
“Why I . . . Ok, but let me remind you that I have connection with the city guild and . . .”
“There is no need to, I’m here to help you guys to go deeper to the realm. You could see many adventurers are hesitating there”
“But will you still help me on this fight?”
“Yes, none of you had ever face the monsters of the deep. It should’ve been easy to hunt them with a boat and not face to face”
The monster is trapped, the shellfish blurred its surrounding with sea microbes like mist. Flourance is shaken with excitement and as for Archivist there is more things they need to know. Sea monsters are more exposed to Alga’s light than they would think, even how the Jigeram’s particle dusts are able to gaze through the sea surface. It can’t able to reach where the sea floor able to protect itself from it. Now facing the monster before them, Flourance quickly attacks with his earth magic. A single crawl to the monster, and raises the ground up with an explosion. The monster quicky explode.
Archivist turns on his mask expression with a surprised look, Flourance himself didn’t expect it and turns to him in shock, and all while the other students were in awe sarcastically. But others were a bit disappointed, they are curious what materials it had for a shell fish monster. Flourance reacts
“We just saw it fighting inside the sea dome, causing havoc, and now able destroy it in one blow. Laugh*”
As he laughs some of the students carefully watch him as the aura is off. Microbes are floating in the air and Flourance coughs. “Cough* What in the hell? I think I swallowed something. Ah! My stomach hurts”
Archivist didn’t hesitate and punches him on the gut. The student vomit as he spit out little thin fishes coming out from his mouth, Flourance said “Fuck! What was that?”
Archivist lays his gauntlet and release the energy to mana. The thin fishes mutates then he squashes it and release a bit of fire. A cleansing flames impulse through his palm and suddenly slams it. Fully removing the parasite, Archivist warns them
“There are times that some monsters are too unique or rather similar. To the student who answered me before, are they alike?”
They turn to the student, she searches it again through her UI, then she almost forgot the most important part. They look at her in disbelief as they were a bit frighten from that incident. She said,
“Fungus type monster, real threats are the fumes or spores released to the air. Somehow for being fungus grown out of dead trees or other damp moist environments. Alga’s light able to let those species to attached living organism as well. It can deceive many people of its attacks, but it easy to identify for its irritation after effects . . .”
She holds her mouth then stops, the rest she is reading is how to eat it.
Without holding back, Archivist teaches them the dangers of this artificial realm. “Aquatic monsters are the only creatures never being extinguish by the moon by choice. The sun reaches them better than the two moons combine. The realm is filled with high concentration of mana, these monsters have the most exposure of Alga’s light. Surprisingly through the research, they are the exceptional creatures from the Jigeram’s light bluish glow. In the end, this realm overpowers them too. I think they did that as an example training if you are heading through the ruins”
Quail and Coral fit the words from his statement, at the start was about handling the new scenario whereas the ruins before them. Abduction and monsters are lurking, these are what the education committee wants to handle. Both were skeptic, and more to Reya’s suspicion. Alche is with them, observing first about the new realm being formed. He already sees what is happening inside. The sea serpent continued back and forth for the monsters to come and go, because they are feeding the mana inside the realm. Alche uses his scans briefly and sees the mutation as it transforms internally, slowly.
Tabitha is assigned to follow the students who want to forage or just mainly hunt the materials they wanted to sell or make something out of it. Her telepathy links with Archivist and whispers from Kiege herself. Tabitha can’t bear enough to hear her in such a tempting voice. It is because of how weak is the connection is and not causing disconnect or bad transmission, Tabitha hears only the soft voice.
“Laugh* Enlighten . . . Did Archivist hear that?”
“No! But you sound like ghost who haunting my ears”
“Don’t try making excuses here. I’m taking a few days off just for you. Luckily, Yui gives me details how to harvest them. Just describe it properly, because, those are no easy prey”
‘No easy prey’ she said, Tabitha looks at the aquatic biome as it is segregated. Not only students who are participated, there are other people join as well to coordinate this new realm. They are just ordinary citizens who wanted to see in a short time. The realm is actually bigger, and there is no space too dangerous for the people who want to wander around. After a quick survey around the biome, the students reaching out to her for any good tips. Tabitha had sent the information, and Kiege takes her time explaining it.
In the Tabitha’s group, she is kind of surprised to see the shield student is with her and not with Archivist. His classmates and even Joanne herself sees him going to her instead of that martial artist. One of his classmates persistently asked
“I’m sorry for asking you a hundred times, but! You gave him your gauntlet and practically using his fasts hands and stuff. Then you go to her instead. Why though?”
The shield student responds “I can still see them after this. Teacher Haw said I might see them if we shared in the same quest”
His other classmates chuckled “Don’t mind him, he gets left out because of the party limit”
They all stop where Tabitha finds the materials, it could be useful. A boulder size coral reef is in front of them, according to Kiege’s notes. There is something inside for medicinal purposes, not for eating, and the only way to do it is to carefully, steadily, and more importantly raised the magic at max and destroying it with style . . . She stops reading and quickly goes to the end . . . Feed it with small creatures that can fits its ‘mouth’ as it will soon release its excretion.
Tabitha explains it to them, “This monster is harmless, but still dangerous because it has harmful bacteria inside. However, it can be use as medicine. I could able to make it in my inventory, but it will not as efficient”
“Then teacher Tabitha, are we going to kill it to get it”
“No, we just need to offer it with food. The downside of it is because of its size but we can have more than we can use it for crafting”
Because it requires a large amount of food, they have to move on and find something else. Tabitha didn’t have a great start of helping the students, and only her luck is Kiege whispering in her head.
Kiege couldn’t help but wondering who they are “Care to share why you focus first on medicine?”
“They’re future adventurers, I thought it would be easy to give them the heads up”
“Heads up or you didn’t read Haw’s previous reports. Honestly, I’m impressed they destroy a small area from the forest to forage. There are some students were interested in foraging. One group is for the money and one person for the foods”
“Wait, did someone actually scavenge for food in the forest?”
“That’s what the reports said, even Ironno’s point of views speculated in each students’ motive. In the end, it is all about money”
“Sigh* I thought so, they have to grind for a reason”
The student sees something interesting where the school of massive fish, looks like eels, are swimming under their feet. Its magic sparks light as they are near, it tries to protect itself as they tried to find a way to leave. She asks Tabitha
“Hey teacher Tabitha, take a look at those eels on the floor”
“Eel?!”
Tabitha linked with Kiege to know about the ‘eel’. Meanwhile the students were a bit scared as the size of the eels have no space to swim down, like they are trapped there to only its body size fits swimming in the water. They couldn’t help and said to their classmates
“Are you really want to get it?”
“As long as it is edible”
“Damn, I know that you have a family restaurant and your special meals. But . . .”
She stops them “Yet, you guys visited my parents’ restaurant after school. Do you want that special discount again back where we take our first adventure in the forest?”
They were hesitant for a bit, more while to the shield student and Joanne were curious about the meal. Joanne acting a bit hungry for a sec “Can you make sushi out of it?”
“Hmm?”
“Like I said, sushi or anything on that matter you can make in this realm”
She just grins at her then she faces teacher Tabitha. Tabitha wasn’t keen to hear it appetizing, but through Kiege’s message to her
“Please, say what she just said earlier, and exactly” she whispers.
Logically, “Yes, you can eat those eels”
The girl cheers “Yes-s-s!”
but in reality, from how it looks, Tabitha stares at it as the monsters are rather hideous than a meal. Its magic spark around it as it shows electric abilities. Through her thoughts were shared with Kiege, she refutes it
“Actually, they are fast. I don’t know how you able to see its glow or even see its reflective scale. Their sudden movement makes you think it flashes. Am I wrong in this?”
Tabitha sees that they are contain in such a small space, and the floor is hard as steel. Can they really able to catch it?
The girl keeps on bombarding questions to Tabitha, from edible parts and other recommended dishes. Her enthusiastic voice pushing to her while Tabitha herself sends it to Kiege. Kiege couldn’t hold herself
“That girl, we need her to be part of our guild”
“What?! I’m just sending a message. How do you know she is qualified as she talks about food? She is just curious that’s all”
Kiege replies in her mind in such a soft, cowardice, and childish tone “I uhm, can we eat it? Uh nervous* can we serve it grilled. (Disappointed) No, sob* why can’t we put ‘soy sauce’ as the side dish . . .”
She keeps going on and on. Tabitha gives up with a laugh*. “Ok, I get it. There’s no way a person says something like that”
Tabitha stops and saw the students looking at her weird. Joanne notices something is odd and said “Teacher Tabitha? Do you have telepathy?”
“Yes, well, I didn’t want to mention, but would you like . . .”
“No! I mean I apologized. I have my reasons, right guys?”
One of her friends tells on her “Her parents want it”
Joanne smacks her at the head as they laugh. Joanne is embarrassed as they are laughing at each other. Tabitha sees the joy of these students as she too has to bring herself up with this experience. At the back of her mind, she remembers the good times in this world. These people must survive.
They’re ready, like they were taught yesterday. Casting a magic battlefield where you place it will unleash the numbers of monsters to get inside of their circle, there will be no warnings, always be prepared. Once it casts on the field, they will face the monsters near them. Ready or not, there will always be surprises. Tabitha sets her magic on the circle, and all students sent in their focus on the eels on the floor. It stops swimming and waits for them, she stomps her foot and the magic circle appeared. Through Archivist guidance, she aims at the advantage.
The eels bullet itself to the surface, directing them around them as it collided to itself through the dome. The curve moves them in lightning speed, meeting itself after the other. It swiftly dodges itself from hitting one another. The students were not prepared as it turns towards them. The shield student and the other students raised their defenses as they reinforce themselves in a tight group. The shield student sets his RAP to his magic abilities and captured one of it inside the dome.
“Got it”
The other eels behind it barrage the dome as the eel trapped inside breaks free.
“Ah!”
The eels pierce through the dome and bump its humongous weight on to them. They resist it, others try to fight back with their magic. Setting their RAP into the offenses where they barely take a hit among them. Tabitha observes the situation as she hides at the middle of them, she sees something coming their way and pushes them away. One moment of coming in the schools of fishes, Tabitha dodges it all and merely sliding it off from their scales. She gets wounded from the high speed where one of its scales are damaged. She said to herself
“Kiege wasn’t kidding for being fast. If only we could put them out to the surface”
Archivist responds to her through telepathy “Will you cheat for them?”
Tabitha busily gathered the students back as they are getting surrounded by the bullet speed eels, the eels in groups are the most dangerous. No matter one of the students to take one out, the other eel will come to its rescue. They are fighting in their own biome. Hopes are almost at lost as she sees one of the students can’t get up and continue being bullied down from the eels.
“Yes! I don’t think . . . Wait!”
Tabitha sees one of the students broke free from the encirclement.
Joanne and her friends took the section of the dome and occupied it, while the shield student and his friends move to the other side, and lastly the girl and her friends going to other one. An edge triangle formation, Tabitha follows along and go to Joanne’s side. The dome curved made it harder for them to surround them as the part of the section can’t make it swim through. They are making their own defensive positions as the monsters are moving at the center. The students change their RAP to fit their roles, Tabitha didn’t hear them cooperating until now. Now she can listen to Joanne’s group carefully.
“This is our part of the wall we need to back on to it. Remember, you can aim Miyusuki’s side since they are mostly tank there. As for the other group, keep an eye on them for any opportunity to strike”
Tabitha quickly opens her secret ability, her improved telepathy: mind reading, to hear their thoughts and focus first on who are giving the orders. She checks on the shield student
“Are we crazy enough to taunt those fast-moving fishes?”
“Want a bet? I’ll bet that Joanne’s group will be the one who will annihilate us”
“Mine to the other group, I don’t know about them, but . . .”
“You guys!”
Then Tabitha checks on the last group “Damn it! I forgot what were supposed to do here”
“Don’t they dare to destroy the fishes. I am not going to get my fishes to AAH!”
“Then try to catch what is left. We can’t lose to them or today will be our last day”
The fishes are collected at the center, waiting for a reaction to fight back, they swim itself around to form a torrent. All of them takes their first counter measure. Many unleashes hell as the others tried to catch them. Joanne’s team didn’t hesitate to take full blast on the shield student’s group, tearing apart the eels and leaving the stray magic on to them.
“I am not even kidding, they full blast on us. Laugh*”
A random eel is being pushed to their side
“Catch it!”
The three groups are able to take down the eels in groups or by one. The fight is over as Tabitha never seen her school mates cooperate so well. After few more minutes of fighting the stragglers, they get what they deserve, or what left of it. It is their first time experiencing such big disadvantage for once. Tabitha gets back to business and teach them how to butcher it properly.
The results were good, numerous eels were gone and it was too much for them to caught them for their fierce advantage in this realm. Others caught them damaged and severed, they can freeze it and still get the good parts. The girl looks around, disappointed of her face, to see they couldn’t get at least one live eel, then she grins to herself and show them with her special catcher. She trapped only two large eels in her inventory.
“I knew making this wasn’t a waste”
They cheered for her as the rest of the day is just the beginning.