I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 165: Incomplete Crack (3)

─ Flesh...! Flesh soaked in fresh blood...!

─ Kyaaaah!!!

Dozens of jet-black monsters poured out from Pandora’s shadow, moving with unsettling speed.

They had a grotesque appearance, unmistakable as monsters, but there was no familiar recognition in their form.

They followed Pandora’s thoughts and instructions, dividing into groups and blocking everyone’s way.

Pandora’s command was experienced.

Before the battle began, she had shown a disorganized focus on Carrot, but once combat started, she expertly concealed her blind spots.

However, every now and then, a slight emotional flare would appear, indicating her preference to target Carrot when a gap appeared.

“Hmph! Where are you aiming, old woman?”

But the monsters’ attacks only narrowly missed, cutting through the air time and time again.

Once more, Pandora’s attacks sliced through the shadows, cutting nothing but the air, and she ground her teeth audibly.

‘A rabbit, acting like a rat...!’

That woman, Carrot, was too fast for her level.

Of course, Pandora knew the reason. She had already observed the key figures in the Academy City.

‘Only a few of the rabbit beastmen can master the Gajusunbo (Leg Blaze Step).’

If Pandora focused all her energy on Carrot, the result might change, but with Juyeon on guard, catching the incredibly fast Carrot wasn’t going to be easy.

As such, Pandora couldn’t achieve quick results while facing everyone.

The real problem was Juyeon.

─ Kwiieek!!!

With an attack that seemed to have no effect, Pandora’s massive shadows regenerated quickly. The only person able to break through and approach Pandora was Juyeon.

[Yeolhwa Jin (Blazing True)]

Juyeon’s great sword unleashed merciless slashes, and Pandora moved her hand.

From the ground, a sticky, jet-black mass shot up and opened its mouth wide, swallowing the blow. But the shock couldn’t be withstood, and it exploded like a balloon.

Pandora couldn’t help but admire Juyeon’s power.

“Impressive. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a human break something in one blow.”

It wasn’t luck that killed Omega. Pandora barely suppressed the words she was about to spit out.

“... .”

Juyeon remained silent, closing the distance and striking down with her sword.

Pandora drew a weapon from her shadow.

What she pulled out was a pair of scissors, black and red,

large enough to be considered dual-wielded swords if not for the gap in the middle and the handle.

Kaaang!

The deafening clash and shockwaves echoed as the great sword and the scissors collided.

The ground where Pandora stood cracked deeply, and though a normal human would have been crushed by the pressure, there was no such conclusion in a fight between superhumans.

Only explosive exchanges that couldn’t be followed by an ordinary person continued.

Kwaaa—!!!

The clash between Juyeon and Pandora sent a powerful gust through the empty street.

In close combat, Juyeon held the advantage.

However, breaking through Pandora’s defenses, who relied solely on her shadows, wasn’t something that could be achieved in the blink of an eye.

Juyeon swung her great sword with great force and began to read the situation calmly.

“The Grand Marshal is more of a fool than I’d heard?”

“... .”

As Juyeon pressed the attack, Pandora attempted to change direction with a rather forced movement.

Juyeon didn’t miss the opening and captured it immediately.

‘Those monsters are connected to the woman’s shadow. If I can sever the link or increase the distance, they’ll likely vanish.’

She immediately checked her surroundings.

The distance between the two utility poles.

‘The movement radius so far has been... about 100 meters. Depending on the adjusting entity, it may shrink or expand.’

Pandora, her attack being pushed back relentlessly, wiped the smile off her face.

Juyeon, facing her, narrowed her eyes.

‘Where did this one come from?’

Pandora, who had the ability to control summoned creatures, was also a formidable force in her own right.

A person who covered her greatest weakness became nearly invincible.

Even if she knew how to counter, facing her would be bothersome.

If Pandora had only faced Juyeon without the monsters, she wouldn’t have allowed such distance to open up.

‘The anomalies of Monolith... The dimensional rifts that have suddenly exploded... and now individuals like this...’

Juyeon felt a sense of foreboding and thought of Omega, who had appeared out of nowhere on the deserted island.

While Omega was a one-dimensional embodiment of malice, this woman was like a tangled knot of wicked intentions.

Compared to Omega’s impulsive nature, this one felt more like a nuisance than outright strength.

Still, Juyeon instinctively sensed a connection between them.

In a world already full of monstrous beings, the presence of such an individual could make humanity’s future seem bleak.

‘Capture is impossible. This person must be removed here.’

With that resolution, the light in Juyeon’s eyes flared brightly.

“!” freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Pandora, sensing the danger, raised her shadow to cut through with the scissors.

The dark whirlwind that formed from the gap in the shadow forced Juyeon back, creating distance between them.

“Tsk.”

Having blocked Pandora’s attack with her great sword and landing, Juyeon checked the condition of the others engaged with Pandora’s shadows.

Just as she was about to charge again—

She sensed a presence coming from the opposite direction, not from within the Academy City.

A more ominous presence than Pandora herself.

Wuuuuu––

At the same time, a sense of unnaturalness filled the air.

The instructors, security guards, and even the jet-black monsters all moved slower.

It felt as if time itself was flowing more slowly in this place.

‘This ability...!?’

Juyeon’s eyes widened as she chose not to retreat.

Instead, she spread her magic widely to protect her group.

Before Juyeon could complete her action, Pandora swiftly cut through the shadows connected to the monsters with her scissors.

The dark creatures that had spread out began to scream in distorted, slow voices as they boiled up.

They began to expand, as though about to explode.

“Next time I see you, Rabbit, I’ll really kill you. Wait for it.”

Pandora, seemingly trying to avoid being affected by the slow time, widened the distance between them and continued her warning.

As a man, presumably her ally, arrived, Pandora turned her attention toward him.

Kuuuuuu!!!

The monsters Pandora had expanded exploded, forcefully pushing everyone back.

Juyeon made sure to protect those with her, clearly seeing the figure of a middle-aged man with a slender build.

She also noticed the clock-like shape of his eyes.

“Urryaaaa!”

Noah swung his axe, and cold air surged through the area.

The Morbid Frames shattered with a crash. The frames were sent flying into the walls, breaking apart.

Rohan’s group didn’t plan to wait for the security guards to arrive.

They had already escorted the civilians to the shelter, and now they intended to finish the job themselves.

“They’re here.”

At Rohan’s voice, everyone turned their attention to him.

As the rift fully opened, a special type of Morbid Frame appeared among the others.

It was several times larger than the regular ones, with arms made of bones, devoid of flesh.

The bones forming its fingers were sharp like blades, and the frame also contained what appeared to be the skull of a beast, not a human.

“Rohannnn!!! Hurry up and crush it!!!”

“Don’t dig in too deep.”

“I know!!! Safety first!!!”

Rohan and the girls focused on the special monster while Gilbert’s group and the cadets handled the remaining Morbid Frames.

─ Hahahaha!!! You worthless humans, I’ll give you the honor of becoming my masterpiece.

The monster arrogantly spoke in human language, despite being a monster.

But no one in the group paid any attention to it.

They didn’t wait for the atmosphere to settle as it descended majestically.

“Damn it!”

Noah, using his axe as a pole vault, leaped and delivered a dropkick.

─!?

The frame rattled as it quickly descended.

Clara, who had been on the third floor, jumped down and pulled the thread she had set up with her whole body.

It was the perfect moment to use the magical energy she had been carefully conserving.

Kwaddeuddeuk──!!!

The sharp thread pierced through the frame relentlessly.

But the special monster, using its flight ability, barely escaped from Clara’s trap.

─ How dare you humans...!

The monster didn’t get a chance to speak further.

Bang!

Predicting the monster’s movement, Rohan and Shion both pulled their triggers.

It was a target so large that they could hit it with their eyes closed.

[Inflicting physical weakness on the target]

[Applying a debuff to the target]

After confirming the notification, Rohan applied confusion to the monster.

He gripped the shining sword in both hands and dashed forward with Ichinose.

Tak! Tak! Tak! Tak!

With Shion’s covering fire, they closed the distance.

They kicked off a pillar and stepped on the railing as they moved upwards.

Once they had closed the distance to a satisfactory level,

Rohan tightly gripped his sword with both hands, while Ichinose pushed the sword with her thumb─ clink! and drew it out.

[One Slash – Flame Severance]

[Illusion Slash Shadow Flow – Wing Shadow Flash]

The two’s slashes merged.

There was no clash or entanglement; their movements filled each other’s gaps.

─ Kaaaah!!!

The frame, thoroughly mangled by their slashes, screamed and spilled black liquid from the cracks.

Its glass-like arms flailed, trying to grab Rohan and Ichinose.

But from above, a tiger girl, who had been hanging from the chandelier, dropped down.

She slammed her fist with all her might as she descended.

“Cute girl punch!”

Crash!

The frame, weakened by its vulnerability to physical attacks, couldn’t withstand the impact.

A massive crack ran through its entire body.

Unable to ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) even scream, the Morbid Frame fell as Shion and Clara looked up at it from below.

Thud!

Clara’s boot heels revealed blades.

Shion, having put down her sniper rifle, drew a dagger in one hand and let magical current flow through it.

Sizz!

Shion’s magic crackled fiercely as the elven girl thrust her electrified dagger into the monster.

At the same time, the twin-tailed girl, blushing, pressed her skirt down tightly and showed off her flexibility.

A kick, daring and defying her embarrassed expression.

Piiing──!

Clara’s blade precisely split the beast’s skull inside the frame.

The bone arm melted away, and Rohan saw the point of contact.

This was truly the beginning of their break.