I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 86: Heir Sion Testarossa (1)

Reverse Praise Society and Black Hand.

As the story of Abyss City progresses, these two organizations appear periodically, entangled in various quests.

The pitch-black coin Rohan seized from the High Elder of the elves and Doberman—the Judah’s Silver Coin—was issued by this very faction, serving both as currency and an expendable resource.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the entire underworld is governed by the overwhelming force of these two groups.

The infamous leaders of criminal syndicates? No matter how high they climb, absolute freedom is unattainable.

If one digs deep enough, without exception, every one of them has their life tethered to these two organizations.

Once a criminal group grows in name and size, an untouchable figure from the shadows inevitably arrives, forcing them into a subordinate position.

There are those who swear allegiance willingly, desiring something in return, and those who bow their heads simply to survive.

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But their dominance isn’t built solely on fear and violence.

Yes, rejecting an offer from the Reverse Praise Society or the Black Hand means being reduced to nothing but minced flesh and returning to the earth.

However, being part of the hierarchy doesn't mean mindless exploitation.

For the most part, the upper echelons take an indifferent stance toward their subordinates. But when they do utilize them, they ensure the compensation is tempting enough.

That very temptation—

A figure who holds psychological dominance over individuals burdened with physical deficiencies or twisted desires.

His laboratory was a place where the sound of a human voice might be heard once a year, if at all.

But today, by chance, the silence was broken.

"Hekes-nim."

A familiar subordinate's voice.

The gaunt man, who had been fixated on a monstrous shell preserved in a specimen tank, slowly turned his head.

Cold spectacles rested on his face, complementing his icy demeanor. His pointed ears marked his race, yet his expression was void—empty. Impossible to read. Completely devoid of emotion.

"A report regarding the Testarossa bloodline."

"..."

The subordinate, kneeling, presented the report.

A hand moved to accept it.

As Hekes' arm shifted, the skin beneath his clothing flickered—turning translucent, then reverting.

For brief moments, his bones and the flow of his blood became visible. In some areas, only the texture of his muscles could be perceived.

It was enough to infer what lay beneath his garments. Deeper than his hands—his very organs were likely visible.

"Hmph..."

After receiving the report, Hekes wiped his glasses before glancing at the accompanying photographs.

Even after reading through the text and grasping the situation, his expression showed no interest.

Only boredom.

"They were rigid-minded fools. I had no great expectations, but I didn’t anticipate they'd die this pathetically."

"If you give the order, we will begin tracking Testarossa immediately."

Hekes observed his subordinate's unwavering loyalty with an impassive gaze before setting the report aside.

Among the burnt corpses, there were none suspected to be Testarossa. The bodies bore gunshot wounds. Expensive items remained untouched, and the murderers had fled after completing their task.

The circumstances were easy enough to piece together. It was one of the anticipated outcomes.

"Forget it. If they fled to Tigrova, they’ll be under the protection of the White Tiger Grand Duke. Even if they later slip away and settle in another country, the outcome won’t change."

"..."

Hekes could already predict the procedures that would take place if Shion Testarossa arrived in Tigrova.

Recovering an unawakened Testarossa bloodline? Ideally, yes, he would like to find them.

But provoking the wrath of the White Tiger Grand Duke wasn’t worth the cost.

"If things unfold that way, the losses would be extreme."

Those fools who boasted about raising Testarossa into a weapon and seizing the Grand Duke’s weakness—he had only half-heartedly thrown them a chance, already half-expecting them to fail.

But if his own subordinates were to act, the weight of the situation would be entirely different.

Provoking the monster that sat in Tigrova would require a much more substantial return.

"Do not let emotions sway you. In any diversified investment, a few failures are inevitable. This one is hardly worth calling a failure."

"Understood!"

Hekes opened the specimen case, inspecting it idly with a pair of tweezers.

Only after his examination was complete did his subordinate speak again.

"Hekes-nim. I have an unrelated report as well."

"Proceed."

"The current first-years at Orion Academy will be leaving for an uninhabited island soon."

Another report was presented.

Unlike the previous information, which had failed to interest him, this detail sparked a faint reaction in Hekes.

For the first time, he looked somewhat intrigued.

"So, they’re acknowledging the Monolith anomaly. A reasonable course of action."

Even the Reverse Praise Society, relentless in its pursuit of objectives, paid attention to the academy’s seedlings for a clear reason.

The former Grand General of Samhwa Nation, the heir to the Celestial Beyond Corporation, the youngest daughter of Tigrova’s ruler—

It was filled with individuals whose whereabouts needed to be constantly monitored.

"Hmm..."

The students of Orion Academy were valuable.

Unlike Shion Testarossa, who held no authority and had no family worth threatening, these students were on an entirely different level.

And that made them all the more desirable.

"I can see why they publicly announced the use of the uninhabited island."

Completely controlling such information was practically impossible.

So instead, they revealed it openly—ensuring that the worried eyes of powerful individuals remained fixed on the event.

For criminals, that level of scrutiny was an intangible shackle.

Essentially, it was the academy’s declaration: We will observe the darkness from the light.

Of course, they would strengthen their defenses as much as possible.

But if one looked ahead—this situation could be exploited.

"Good. This might be worth discussing with Omega."

At present, there was no need for Hekes himself to get involved.

Another leader of the Reverse Praise Society—

Omega, who held a grudge against the former Grand General of Samhwa Nation—

Even if it meant suffering losses, Omega might take action if presented with the right conditions.

"Inform Omega that the skin graft is ready for implantation."

"Understood!"

At Hekes’ command, his subordinate vanished like smoke.

***

"And don’t forget to stick to the main roads as much as possible. Don’t try to travel at night just to get there faster. Once the sun sets, find a place to stay and sleep early."

"You’re really treating me like a little kid."

"This part is always the nicest to hear. It’d be perfect if my own voice wasn’t in the recording."

Shion was repeatedly listening to the recorded call while leaving the charger plugged into the outlet.

She hadn’t counted how many times she replayed it.

She simply kept listening.

Of course, somewhere in between, Rohan had called again after finishing his academy schedule.

Clara, who had safely returned to Academy City, had also called.

The most recent one was when Rohan, after finishing his work, had called together with Clara.

"..."

Shion wanted to be there too. She wanted to talk with them in the same space.

She was curious about the bookstore where Rohan worked. She wanted to see, in person, the historic shop where he had encountered Clara.

But as she reminded herself that she couldn’t do that right now, her body began to tremble strangely.

"Why is it so cold? Is it because I’ve entered Tigrova?"

The temperature inside the train was well-regulated, of course.

But outside, everything was blanketed in white snow.

Feeling a chill that came not from the weather but from within, Shion pulled out Rohan’s outer coat, which she had been carefully storing, and put it on.

She zipped it up to the top and took a deep sniff.

It eased the loneliness, if only a little.

[The Sky Train will soon arrive in Tigrova. Passengers, please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts.]

"Finally."

It was an announcement she had been waiting for.

Shion checked her seatbelt one last time and waited quietly. The land outside the window grew closer and closer.

With a heavy clank clank, the train’s wheels made contact with the ground, scattering snow in the process.

The announcement continued once again.

[The Sky Train has arrived at its designated landing point, Snowfang Valley in Tigrova. Thank you.]

As the passengers began gathering their belongings, Shion rose from her seat as well.

Following the crowd as they disembarked, she stepped onto the ground.

The fresh, crisp air filling her lungs felt pleasant.

Click!

She took a photo of the station as proof of her arrival and uploaded it to the group chat before moving forward.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Her boots sank into the accumulated snow as she walked toward the station interior.

The architectural style was entirely different from that of Academy City.

If she took her time, she might have found it enjoyable to observe. But having lived briefly in Tigrova before, Shion simply focused on finding her way.

"To get to the White Tiger Palace in the capital from here..."

She needed to take another train, but the station was vast, and the correct direction wasn’t immediately clear.

Maybe she should look for an information desk.

The floor was wet from the snow that had melted off the passengers’ shoes.

As she walked across the damp surface, the faint squeak of her soles echoed.

Then, she suddenly realized—

Despite the station’s size, there wasn’t a single person in sight.

"..."

Click!

Without hesitation, Shion opened her bag and drew her weapon.

The assembly took only a split second. The moment it was completed, the silence was shattered.

KWA-THHHHHHHHHHH—!!!

Right before her eyes, ice rapidly grew, forming a massive, blooming flower bud.

As it fully blossomed, figures emerged—beastkin warriors clad in armor, along with a white-furred fox beastkin holding a fan.

"Those beastkin...?!"

Two of the faces were ones Shion had seen countless times in her research on Tigrova.

Even those who weren’t Tigrova citizens would recognize them.

The man in the most ornate armor and the woman holding the fan approached her.

"Captain of the White Tiger Palace Guard, Argen Blizzard."

"Chief Administrator, Yuhora."

"!!!"

Shion was so shocked that she couldn’t even speak.

Yuhora studied her carefully before offering a gentle smile.

She gave a nod of approval to the Captain of the Guard, maintaining proper etiquette.

Then, stepping aside, she gestured toward the ice flower that had fully bloomed, creating a path for Shion to step into.

"We have come to escort you."