The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 42
The Savior of the Great Dragon.
As you may have guessed from the episode title, the goal wasn’t simply to defeat the evil dragon Ashtat, but rather, it was to save Ashtat.
‘Because Ashtat is not just an ordinary dragon.’
The problem lay in the difficulty.
It wasn’t just for nothing that all the seasoned veterans in the community were avoiding it.
Yet…
‘…Why is there nothing at all?’
As one approached the sealed chamber where Ashtat was supposed to be imprisoned, there were supposed to be incredibly difficult traps and guardians blocking the way, but there was nothing of the sort.
At most, there were just minor traps and low-level monsters.
‘Why?’
Meanwhile, those who were unaware of such details breathed a sigh of relief.
In particular, Kansir and Balas looked quite relieved.
“We were worried because it’s the nest of an evil dragon, but there’s nothing much here.”
“That’s right, Balas. This should be simple for me.”
With that, they both smirked confidently at me.
Originally, the traps were supposed to be simple enough that I wouldn’t need to help, yet the two of them were handling everything on their own. It was mind-boggling.
‘Something feels off. Or is it all okay?’
Feeling ominous, I checked the win rate predictor again.
<Probability of Breaking Through the Nest of the Great Dragon>
: 73.32%
The win rate had skyrocketed from the original 50.5%!
It was good news, but it felt unsettling.
There was clearly a new variable in play.
“Van, you’ve been acting all high and mighty, but now you’re just freezing up.”
“Please understand. What can you do when you suffer from mana insensitivity? These kinds of dungeons require ‘proper’ mages like us to step up. Professor Van, just make sure you follow our lead.”
As the two stepped forward, Aktor from the Rebel Army approached me cautiously.
“…Doesn’t something seem off?”
It seemed like Aktor shared similar concerns as me.
“Let’s just keep moving forward. We cannot turn back now.”
“…Understood. Everyone, reinforce your guard!”
I absentmindedly fidgeted with my pocket out of a sense of foreboding.
I touched the ‘preparations’ I had made just in case, but nothing out of the ordinary happened afterward.
It felt like driving down a wide-open road in a car.
And the win rate kept rising.
<A variable has occurred, so the win rate will be recalculated!>
Probability of Breaking Through the Nest of the Great Dragon: 83.6%
<A variable has occurred, so the win rate will be recalculated!>
Probability of Breaking Through the Nest of the Great Dragon: 95.8%
However, the sense of foreboding continued to grow.
The faces of the rebel knights hardened, and even young Priest Johan, still a novice, clenched his fists with instinctual apprehension.
The only ones still carefree were Kansir and Balas.
“Haha, it’s too easy, isn’t it? Or maybe I’m just that strong?”
“If it’s going to be like this, we should have come alone. No need to drag along cumbersome baggage like Professor Van.”
Eventually…
Paaaah!
A grand hall-like chamber emerged, reminiscent of a temple.
This was the final location of the dungeon.
Beyond it lay Ashtat, slumbering.
‘We just need to defeat the final guardian, right?’
But then, a surprising sight greeted us.
The guardian was lying there, its neck severed.
And it was no ordinary guardian; it was a Level 7 guardian.
‘Who did this?’
Kansir and Balas, perhaps only now sensing something amiss, paled.
“What is this? Van?”
“…This is strange. This was supposed to be a 7th ranked True Dragon Knight.”
At that moment…
The Nest of the Great Dragon has been breached!
A new threat has emerged, so the win rate will be calculated!
<Probability of Victory against the Beast of Chaos>
0.27%
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
It wasn’t because of the abysmal 0.27% probability.
It was because of the name “Beast of Chaos.”
‘Why is that name suddenly here?’
In that instant…
A chilling threat surged, and I instinctively shouted,
“Everyone, be careful!”
Pwack!!
“KEUGH!!”
Kansir spat blood as he was thrown backward.
Without even knowing what had happened.
Beside him, Balas, turning pale, hastily deployed his shield.
The Fractal Shield, believed to be capable of blocking any attack.
But…
“ARGH!!”
Crackle!
A blinding light flashed, and then, crash!! With the sound of shattering glass, Balas was thrown back, unconscious.
Both of them were formidable fighters in their own right, but they were overwhelmed in an instant.
It was only natural.
If the enemy was indeed the entity I had in mind.
Suddenly…
Thud.
The sound of footsteps echoed, and the moment I saw the figure that appeared, I felt a dizzying sensation.
‘Black Bird.’
It was Amanda, the Black Bird, who had disappeared from the training ground.
The problem was the aura enveloping her.
Chaos was consuming her.
* * *
‘Black Bird Amanda was the Beast of Chaos?’
I realized why I had no memory of Amanda in the scenario.
It was because she looked completely different from how she usually did.
‘It’s one of the monsters appearing in the main scenario of the second year, ‘The Advent of Disaster.’’
And it wasn’t just any monster.
It was a monster that couldn’t be defeated, forcing the protagonists to join forces with the army to drive it away.
‘Why did she suddenly awaken as the Beast of Chaos? Because of Ashtat?’
Then, as though in response, a voice sounded.
No, it wasn’t me.
It was Ashtat’s voice!
I originally tried to help her. But she refused, and before I knew it, she had become like that.
It means someone other than Ashtat intervened.
‘It’s probably not a lie. Ashtat is misunderstood, but in reality, Ashtat is a Great Dragon.’
But I didn’t have time to dwell on the details.
‘I need to act now!’
As evident from the Level 7 guardian being defeated, the opponent was not something I could handle with my current strength.
But it was too late.
“Be careful, Saint! Argh!”
Thud!!
Amanda swung her scythe engulfed in an unknown energy.
Aktor managed to block it, but his complexion paled.
‘It’s because of the aura of chaos! It disrupts mana flow!’
The Beast of Chaos received an evaluation of “Unknown Level” in the scenario.
It means its level cannot be determined.
It doesn’t possess the strength or aura of a high-level monster, but dealing with it is much more difficult due to the chaos aura it emits.
It’s immune to most sword strikes or magic.
‘Only mundane physical attacks that don’t use mana can affect it.’
The problem is, its own defense is comparable to that of a high-level monster, so regular physical attacks are ineffective.
That’s why the army couldn’t handle it, and the protagonists had to step in.
‘Of course, my magic won’t work either.’
For a moment, I considered drawing my sword, but I refrained.
No matter how versatile I may be, I have no training in swordsmanship, so there’s no way I could face the Beast of Chaos.
‘If it were possible, the win rate wouldn’t be 0.27%.’
At least two “well-trained” knight-class protagonists, along with two support-class protagonists, were needed to subdue it.
Then, the worst-case scenario occurred.
“I’ll assist too!!”
Johan unleashed his divine power.
I was terrified, but it was too late.
Amanda’s eyes glared ominously at Johan.
And then…
“Ugh!”
“Saint!!”
Amanda grabbed Johan by the neck.
[Divine power… Is it? Still a novice. Be eliminated.]
Amanda, or rather, the Beast of Chaos, muttered horrifyingly.
‘No!!’
But what could I do?
With a win rate of 0.27%, defeat was inevitable.
‘Darn it, should I just beg for mercy?’
I was in such a desperate situation that such thoughts crossed my mind.
But then, one idea suddenly popped into my head.
‘…Wait, do I really have to defeat that Beast of Chaos? Perhaps losing could create an opportunity.’
A story that would make others laugh if they heard it.
However, it was sincere.
It was a gamble, like everything else, but right now, there was no other option.
“Wait, hold on. Monster, I have a proposition for you. How about we stop bothering that poor kid and have a showdown between you and me?”
[Hmm?]
The Beast of Chaos sneered.
[You’re playing tricks. Why should I do that? I could just kill you both and be done with it.]
“If you agree, I’ll offer myself to you.”
[!!]
The monster hesitated.
[…Are you serious?]
“Of course. But it’s a deal only if I lose to you.”
[……]
The greed flickered in its eyes.
“Believe me, you know how remarkable I am. With my body, you could become truly powerful.”
The creature’s gaze turned covetous.
[Kuku. Deal. Once I have your body, I won’t hesitate to seek revenge against the demon king who put me in this position. After tearing apart the demon king, I’ll rule this world beneath my feet.]
‘Perfect!’
Of course, I had no intention of actually handing myself over to the creature.
Even if this plan failed, I had a contingency in place.
‘If things don’t go as planned, I can always escape with the return scroll.’
My trump card
It was a 36th class escape tool, just in case I needed to save my own skin.
But oblivious to my schemes, Johan exclaimed,
“No way! How can you even consider such a sacrifice?! You’re a saint!”
“Well, I’m not exactly planning on sacrificing anything, you know?”
It was a cunning move.
Once you see the bigger picture, you’ll understand.
For now, I needed to deceive the chaos creature even more convincingly.
“As I said, a professor shouldn’t risk their students’ safety.”
“!!”
Even I have to admit, that was a perfect, saintly remark.
Everyone, especially Johan, seemed taken aback.
I-I’m nothing like that. That’s what a true saint is.
Johan, in particular, seemed to have a look that said otherwise.
…It seemed like there might have been a serious misunderstanding, but we moved on for now.
Even the chaos creature fell for my act.
[Heh, impressive. But that’s the end of it. Hand over your body, or I will end that brat’s life.]
With a roar, the creature unleashed a dense wave of chaotic energy.
I raised my shield, but of course, it was no use.
“Ugh.”
I fell to my knees in defeat, and Johan and the rebel knights cried out in dismay.
“No!!”
“Master!!”
They rushed forward without hesitation, but I quickly stopped them.
“Stop! Don’t come any closer! I will deal with this creature!”
It was part of the plan, but with the dark draconic aura surrounding me, it looked like an infinitely noble sacrifice.
“No, please.”
Tears welled up in Johan’s deer-like eyes.
The monster approached me and grabbed my neck.
[Now, your vessel is mine.]
Ghooooo
A sinister aura emanated from Amanda’s body, and eerie symbols appeared in the air.
The creature’s true identity was a high-dimensional “Existential Curse” with a will of its own.
Now it’s taking hold of me.
Whuuoo!
The cursed symbols engraved themselves into my body.
“Stop!!”
“Master!!!”
“Senior Van, no! If Senior Van dies like this, the 100,000 pence debt will fall back on the Rapalt Duchy…!!”
It sounded like Lindon was babbling in the middle, but it wasn’t the time to pay attention.
[Hehe, it’s over. Now I shall become the great being…!]
However, that laughter didn’t last long.
[Why, huh? How could you resist at all?]
The creature’s voice sounded puzzled.
At that moment, I smiled sharply.
It was the face of victory.
“You foolish creature. Not knowing what kind of being I am, yet daring to try to possess my body.”
[!!]
“I am the master of magic. The one who commands magic. The moment you entered my body, you cannot defy me.”
