Academy's Drunk Fighter-Chapter 19: Followers of the End (1)

<Questions About Dreaming World>

[Hey, what difficulty should I pick?]

Started the game, and it asks about difficulty. Should I pick Hard?

– If it’s just the default difficulty, it doesn’t really matter, but once you beat Hard, “Impossible Mode” unlocks—just don’t do it

ㄴWhy not?

ㄴIt’s literally impossible. No Korean player has cleared it yet.

ㄴIs it really that hard?

ㄴJust imagine every boss you’ve ever fought and the worst-case scenario happening back to back

ㄴThere’s just no time to heal or grow. Period.

[WTF is Dreaming World?]

Some dude handed me a flyer that felt super cult-y. Is this a hidden quest?

– As if.

– Entering that thing ends your game instantly. No save file, either.

ㄴWhat is it?

ㄴOriginally it’s supposed to be some foreshadowing event involving an academy student, but sometimes it gets offered to players directly

ㄴBut it’s useless

ㄴYou get a small buff early on, but they implant a bomb in your body, and you just die

ㄴSo basically it’s a suicide bombing route?

ㄴYeah

ㄴWait, are you playing on Impossible? That’s the only time it shows up more often

ㄴNah, I’m on Normal

[Anyone who’s tried the cult route—please help]

It was some massive-ass foundation. Blood was literally flowing around the area. Shit was terrifying.

At that point, I wanted to nope the hell out but figured I’d play it out.

Then they stuck something on my head, and from there my character’s mental stat just tanked. Totally lost control.

Eventually the character walked into the academy alone, caused an incident, and committed suicide.

What the hell was that.

– [You’ve awakened, kon]

– Join our brainwashing cult community

ㄴKindly fuck off

– Told you. Just avoid that shit.

ㄴOnce it triggers, you’re marked. You’re better off just starting a new game.

ㄴHow does it even pick who to target?

ㄴIt’s probably random, but my theory is it approaches people who look mentally weak

ㄴ“Look” weak? Not stat-based?

ㄴYeah, I was goofing off a lot in-game, and it showed up about one in ten times. But my actual mental stat was pretty high, so it was weird

ㄴSo it tracks behavior? That’s insanely advanced

[Help me kill these cult freaks, please]

I’m on Normal and they keep infiltrating the school

About 10 students are already brainwashed and it’s taking forever to deal with it

No easy way to wipe them out?

– No clue

ㄴThen die

ㄴDude what the hell, that hurt

– All you can do is endure. Hard mode’s even worse btw

– Stop whining about the early game, just play through it

ㄴI didn’t sign up for manual labor in a game. Didn’t think Normal would be this brutal

ㄴSkill issue

ㄴHands missing?

****

“Ah.”

I opened my eyes and looked outside—somehow the sky had already gone pitch black.

“Fell asleep again.”

And right there next to me was that same flyer.

[Don’t you ever feel like your life is meaningless?]

“......”

I slowly sobered up and thought for a moment.

This flyer... I’d seen it before, hadn’t I?

Yeah, definitely in-game...

“Followers of the End.”

That was the name, I’m pretty sure.

So if I got this flyer... does that mean I’ve been targeted?

Well, this is reality, so it’s not like just me got the flyer. Still, you never know.

At least in the game, only one person at a time could get a recruitment offer from this cult.

If this were the game, the solution would be simple.

Delete the save. Start a new run.

Because this doomsday cult is obsessive as hell. Like, main-girl-of-an-obsessive-romance-novel levels of obsessive. Once they decide on a target, they won’t stop until they claim them.

Until the cult is completely destroyed and wiped off the map, they’ll keep coming for me.

“Mmm...”

Maybe if I’d acted a little more properly, I wouldn’t have been marked.

I mean, I’ve been doing my best in my own way, so why the hell are they targeting me?

I’ve got goals too, dammit. Someday I wanna be rich enough to eat whatever I want and live in peace.

“Freaking bastards.”

And soon, we’re due for the academy’s weekly health check.

If the school goes to hell, I won’t even get that.

Then the thoughts start swirling.

Running away isn’t an option.

Should I tell Professor Philia?

But these cult freaks aren’t easy to catch, and unfortunately, one professor alone isn’t enough.

Philia’s one of the strongest among the faculty, sure—but she’s not a good match for them.

Her physical stats are monstrous, but her mental stat isn’t particularly high. If things go wrong, we might lose one of our best assets too early.

Besides... there’s no guarantee she’d believe me.

[XXX-XXXX-XXXX]

I stared at the phone number listed below.

“......Heh.”

Then a brilliant little idea hit me.

It’s basically a gamble—but one where the odds are in my favor.

Follow current novels on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

I rolled the dice.

Brrrrrrrrr.

A slow dial tone. A few seconds passed—and someone picked up.

– Have you seen the flyer and decided to call?

“Yes. I don’t know why, but I had a feeling it might help me.”

– That’s wonderful to hear. We’re so glad we can be of help to you.

The voice on the other end sounded genuinely happy—and I answered in kind.

“Then where should I go? There’s no address on the flyer.”

–Ah, just tell us where to meet, and we’ll come to you.

That voice and tone—anyone with common sense would know this was the kind of call you shouldn’t take lightly. In my previous world, answering a call like this almost guaranteed you’d end up involved in some kind of crime. I wonder if it’s the same here.

Chances are, the moment I meet them, I’ll lose consciousness.

And the me that wakes up afterward might not even be me anymore.

Even so, I decided not to tell anyone in advance what I planned to do—there’s too much uncertainty and risk involved.

Telling Noah would be too dangerous.

And trusting Professor Philia isn’t exactly a safe bet either.

Depending on how you look at it, this is an overwhelmingly dangerous situation... or possibly one of the best shortcuts to break the game.

“No traps are laid on roads that aren’t the answer.”

Sometimes, the right path means walking straight into danger.

I made up my mind to finish this chapter on my own.

“Yes, I’ll tell you where to meet.”

And I said it with a smile.

****

“Did the recruitment succeed?”

“Looks like the End favors us. Who would've thought recruiting a Central Academy student would be so easy.”

“He gave off the vibe from the moment he first appeared on the stream. Hehehe.”

The target they had been after—at the location he agreed to—was now approached by a black van that came to a stop.

Screeech.

After a short wait, a girl came walking toward them from the distance.

“Heeelloo~ Are you the people I was supposed to meet~?”

She placed something she was carrying in one hand down on the ground.

A bit uneasy, one of them asked a question.

“What’s that?”

“Ahaha...! Just booze! I really like drinking, you see?”

“Tsk, such a shame. Still so young... we’ll help you.”

“Ohhh I’m sooo grateful!! Thankshhh!!”

Her face was flushed crimson, so drunk you could see it even under the streetlamp.

Her features weren’t bad-looking, but in that state, she ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ was a perfect picture of how far a person could fall.

As expected—no surprises.

“Alright then, this way.”

“Okaay~ Hic!”

As soon as they brought the hiccuping girl into the van, they stuck a pre-prepped high-strength sedative into her arm.

Shunk!

“Huh...?”

She passed out immediately, and the van drove off.

“That was easier than expected.”

“She was already drunk, that’s why.”

“Lucky for us. Still, it’s kind of a waste to mess up a face like that. Can’t we at least use the—”

“Hey, you piece of shit. Don’t you dare touch the body of someone chosen to work for the End.”

“Ah... yes, sir.”

And in the silence of the van, the vehicle barreled down the highway toward the outskirts of a town—where no buildings stood.

Snoooore...

Clunk.

The van stopped in front of a half-collapsed church. They dragged the girl out and hauled her inside.

“What brings you here?”

“We come singing to walk in the footsteps of the Great One.”

“Then enter.”

“Thank you.”

Clack.

Inside the massive doors, a bishop awaited them.

They laid the girl they’d brought before him.

“Oho... So this is the pilgrim who will lead our great mission.”

“Yes, she is.”

“Ahh... what a pure vessel. Truly beautiful.”

“Then let us send her to his side.”

“Indeed we must.”

Drool trickling down her cheek, the girl lay asleep as they placed a mask—made from the horns of a goat—over her face, and lowered her into the prepared coffin.

Thud.

“I’m looking forward to seeing your next form.”

The mentally pure can never walk with us.

Only the lowest, the most miserable, the most sorrowful and suffering can come to understand the coming End and walk in His shadow.

And in that sense, this girl was more than qualified to join us.

Shhhhh...

A black mist wrapped around the coffin.

As the fog faded, the woman inside slowly sat up and looked around at the others in the room.

“Good evening.”

“Yes.”

“Are you ready to walk with us?”

“I am.”

From inside the goat mask came a clear, unwavering voice—and the congregation could barely contain their joy.

“Then go forth and fulfill your purpose.”

“Understood.”

And whether it was because she, too, was pleased by this—she wore a faint smile on her lips.

[Your Physical Stats have increased!]

Though she was the only one who could hear that voice.