Chapter 40
‘Why the hell is that werewolf here?’
I quickly racked my brain, but no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with any reasonable answer.
I had raised dozens of characters in this game, and thanks to that, I’d seen this episode nearly dozens of times.
But in none of those routes did that werewolf ever approach the gym.
‘What is this? Is there some route I didn’t play in the game? That’s impossible. I’ve experienced every choice in this episode, but there’s never been a situation like this.’
This episode offered countless choices.
And today, I had deliberately chosen the safest among them.
‘The choice to rescue the students and take them to Gym No.1. I picked it because it required the least effort and was the safest… so why the hell—?’
I stared at the werewolf approaching the gym.
Most of the monsters that had escaped from the monster barn weren’t particularly strong.
Like I said earlier, there were a few strong ones, but still within the range an Academy student could handle.
But that werewolf wasn’t one of them.
That werewolf was a monster that even Academy instructors struggled to subdue.
‘There’s a reason it became the Alpha of the barn.’
The Alpha—regardless of species—was a being of overwhelming strength, earning both respect and recognition as the leader of its pack.
‘Can I even handle that thing?’
If the werewolf were alone, I might’ve been able to somehow hold out.
But right now, there were about ten other monsters following behind it.
If they all rushed me at once, I’d be dead on the spot.
‘But seriously, why did that werewolf come here? No matter how I think about it, there’s no reason that makes sense… ah.’
A scene from one of the episode’s many scenarios suddenly came to mind.
The cornered werewolf—the Alpha—leading a group of monsters and taking students as hostages.
In the game, those monsters fled and broke into an Academy building, capturing the students inside.
The game never specified which building it was, though…
‘Even if it didn’t say exactly what kind of building, it wouldn’t be strange if they invaded this gym and captured the students here.’
All kinds of thoughts rushed through my head, but I quickly shook them off.
Whatever the case, right now, a werewolf and a pack of monsters were heading straight for me.
‘What choices do I have?’
Running away was one.
Gym No.1 was sturdy enough that even without me, it might be able to protect the students…
‘No. Not a chance.’
At the end of the day, it was just a gym.
If those monsters really wanted to break in, they easily could.
‘The most rational choice is probably to hold out until reinforcements arrive.’
If the monsters were resorting to taking hostages, it meant they were desperate.
That was the Alpha’s last resort.
In other words, if I could just buy enough time, things might end well.
‘The problem is… can I even last that long?’
I knew from fighting that werewolf in the game—
I couldn’t win against it as I was now.
It wasn’t even designed to be defeated; you were just meant to stall it or shave off a certain amount of HP until the episode progressed.
‘What the hell do I do?’
I could stall for time, sure, but I’d have to accept getting beaten to a pulp in the process.
Even so, I didn’t want to run away.
Somehow, I’d developed a desire to protect the students inside this gym.
‘Guess the saying’s true—circumstances really shape a person.’
Maybe it was the personality of the body I’d transmigrated into, or maybe I’d just changed after living in this world for a while.
Either way, I didn’t want to run.
As a member of the Disciplinary Committee, responsible for the safety of the students, I wanted to defend them.
‘…Five minutes. I’ll hold out for just five minutes.’
Lisa and the other Academy instructors would soon be here.
All I needed to do was hold this spot until they arrived.
“Grrr…”
The werewolf—the Alpha—looked at me, standing guard in front of the gym doors.
Its gaze… felt like it was mocking me.
And perhaps it truly was, because the Alpha suddenly charged and swung its arm at me without hesitation.
It seemed to think it could casually swat me aside.
But I blocked its strike.
“Ugh.”
It looked like a light swing, but the shock traveled fiercely down my blade.
Still, though my hands trembled, I didn’t get pushed back.
After blocking the Alpha’s arm, I deflected it to the side.
Clang—
“Whrr?”
The Alpha let out a confused growl as I redirected its arm.
Then it swung again, this time much faster and stronger—but I blocked that, too.
‘Yeah. I’ll just do what I can.’
I summoned Aura around me.
It was still weak, but better than nothing.
‘Don’t get greedy. Just focus on blocking.’
If nothing else, when it came to defense, I was the strongest in the entire Academy.
So there was no way I’d go down easily.
ROOOAR!
As another strike was blocked, the Alpha let out a furious roar and began attacking in earnest.
Its sharp claws slashed wildly toward me.
They were incredibly fast, and every single blow was heavy and vicious.
“Ugh—damn it!”
Thanks to my Attack Prediction Skill, I could barely keep up with the speed.
But each strike was so powerful that my strength started to falter bit by bit.
Every time I blocked an attack, my body swayed slightly from the impact.
The Alpha didn’t miss that opening—its claws sliced across my leg.
“Aaagh!”
A searing pain shot through me, blood spurting out.
It wasn’t a deep wound.
But when its claws grazed my right leg, my knee hit the ground before I knew it.
As my stance collapsed, the Alpha immediately aimed for my neck.
Clang—!
On instinct, I raised my sword and barely managed to block it.
“Haa… haa… hah…”
Panting heavily, I parried the Alpha’s arm aside, forcing myself back onto my feet despite the pain.
“Urgh… ah…”
It hurt.
It hurt so damn much.
I’d never been injured like this before, never bled this much before.
As pain and panic mixed, the fear of death began to creep up my spine.
“Haa… haa…”
I wanted to run.
I didn’t want to feel this pain.
Negative thoughts tore through my mind.
For a shut-in like me, this was far too cruel.
“…Haaah.”
But I didn’t run.
Instead, I forced myself to calm down.
To become a knight—or rather, to survive in this world—this much pain was something I had to endure.
Worse situations would come, and I couldn’t break down already.
‘Get it together.’
Maybe it was the mental strength of this body I’d transmigrated into, or maybe my own mind had grown stronger in this world.
Whatever it was, I grabbed hold of my focus again.
And once I did, it felt like the pain in my leg began to dull, little by little.
“You’re the one who’s running out of time… not me.”
I raised my sword once more and stared at the Alpha.
Just as I said, I wasn’t in any rush.
I only needed to buy time here, but the monsters didn’t have that luxury.
The moment reinforcements arrived, it would all be over for them.
“Grrrr…”
As if it understood my thoughts, the Alpha let out a loud growl.
It seemed irritated that someone who had looked so weak wasn’t falling easily.
“Akikikik!”
One of the monsters behind the Alpha leaped forward.
It looked like it wanted to help deal with me, but the Alpha smacked it backward.
“Awooooo!”
The Alpha howled loudly, and at the sound, the monsters following it flinched and took a step back.
Then, with feral eyes, the Alpha looked back at me again.
“So you’re saying you’ll kill me yourself, huh?”
“Graaagh!”
“If you can, go ahead and try.”
No sooner had the words left my mouth than the Alpha lunged again.
Its attacks were just as fast and powerful as before… but there was one difference it was attacking like a mad beast now.
Truly mad—reckless, with no regard for defense or follow-up.
Exactly like a wild animal.
Clang— clang— clangclangclang—
Boom—!
“Ugh?!”
Blocking all of those attacks wasn’t easy.
There wasn’t a single Academy student who could endure the Alpha’s strikes.
‘I’m only holding on because it’s me. Even those three heirs of the ducal families wouldn’t be able to withstand this.’
As I blocked the Alpha’s attacks, I once again realized how specialized I was in defense.
But even I had my limits, and little by little, wounds began to appear all over my body.
“Haa… urgh… aaagh!”
My stats still weren’t enough to block every one of the Alpha’s blows.
The claw scratches stung more and more.
“…This is insane, seriously.”
My uniform was already torn in several places, and blood was seeping out from all over my body.
I must have been scratched near my eye too, because blood trickled down over my left eyelid.
But even so, I endured.
Maybe I had gotten used to the pain, or maybe sheer willpower kept me standing somehow.
“Haa… haa…”
“Grrr… Awooooo!”
The Alpha raised its head toward the moonlit sky and howled loudly, then lifted its arm high into the air.
I braced myself for an enormous attack—
Boom—!
“Gah?!”
—But all that preparation was useless.
The Alpha’s strike sent me flying straight into the gym doors.
‘That power…’
It felt almost identical to Lisa’s blow during my Disciplinary Committee entrance test.
Back then, I had been in peak condition and even used a potion to endure it.
Now, exhausted and drained, I had no choice but to be flung backward.
“Ugh…”
I slammed hard against the gym door and collapsed to the floor.
But I forced myself to get up quickly.
If I stayed down now, I’d really die—
Grrraaaagh!
“…Huh?”
The Alpha charged at me and grabbed my face.
Then it hurled me into the gym.
With immense force.
When I collided with the doors again, they shattered, and I was thrown straight inside.
“Ah?!”
“W-what?! Why are monsters—?!”
“Gi-Gideon?!”
“Huh? Gideon!”
As I hit the floor of the gym, I heard the voices of the students around me.
But their voices barely registered in my ears.
My head was spinning violently.
My vision blurred.
“Ah… aaah…”
The pain that had been consuming my body… faded.
The strength drained out of me completely.
Yet outside the gym, I could still hear the Alpha and the other monsters approaching.
‘I have to stay conscious. I have to… stay awake…’
But I couldn’t muster any strength.
It was getting harder and harder to hold on.
“Gideon! Are you okay? Gideon, wake up! Gideon!”
“Uh… ugh?”
Someone rushed to my side.
When I turned my head, I saw Catherine.
That girl whose first impression had been terrible—was now on the verge of tears, looking down at me with concern.
“What do we do… Hey, you there! Anyone who can use healing magic—”
“Ugh… ngh… Lady Catherine. I’m fine.”
“Huh? Wh-what? You’re… fine?”
“Yes, well… probably?”
Hearing someone call my name helped me barely hold on to consciousness.
My bones felt like they were shattering all over, but I clenched my teeth and forced myself up.
“Please step back, Lady Catherine. It’s dangerous.”
“But you’re… going to fight again? In that condition—”
“I’m simply doing my duty.”
Yes. This was something I had to do.
I had a clear goal in this world, and it seemed I’d be staying here for quite a while.
So at the very least, while I lived here, I would carry out the duties entrusted to me—I made that vow silently to myself.
With that resolve, I stepped out of the gym once more.
“GRAAAAH!”
“Urrrk!”
“Arrrrgh!”
The Alpha and its monsters were now right in front of the gym.
I lifted Mistcatcher and stood in their way again.
“Grrrr…”
“…I told you, didn’t I? You’re the one who’s running out of time, not me.”
“GRAAAAGH!”
The Alpha once again raised its arm high.
From the look in its eyes, I could feel its killing intent—an unmistakable will to end me here and now.
I too raised my sword and took a stance.
But this time, my posture was different from before.
My usual defensive stance had my sword and arms held close to my body—
‘Defense alone has its limits.’
I gripped my sword with both hands and raised it above my shoulder.
Lisa—no.
It was the opening stance of the Balmuth Family’s Swordsmanship.