NOVEL NEXT Chapter 82: Rumor
Zach and the others didn't even try protesting the principal's decision. It wasn't up for discussion. They accepted their fate, as horrible as it was. They were also too tired and dirty to stay seated on the principal's fancy furniture much longer.
They regrouped at the cafeteria for dinner after washing up and taking some time to rest and decompress. Although they hadn't encountered any danger beyond the initial encounter with Jigak, and Zach was the only one who met him, they had still been on guard during their entire stay in the Locale.
It had taken a toll on their mental strength.
But there was no way they would spend the rest of the day resting. Now wasn't the time for that. They had to find a way to make up for the fact that they wouldn't be able to enter the forest until there were only two weeks left of the school year.
Fortunately, Zach had a plan. He brought the map with him and when they were still eating, he rolled it out and showed the circle Jigak had drawn.
"This here is our goal. We'll spend these months preparing and then go for it as soon as we can."
"What is it?" Dukiel asked with a frown. There was nothing in the circle. Just a patch of nondescript forest without so much as a monster habitat since there wasn't anything worth inhabiting.
"No idea."
"You're going to bet our grades on 'no idea'?" Dukiel scrunched his nose.
Zach shrugged.
"What else am I supposed to do? It took all I had to find that swamp Locale. This is our best shot."
Dukiel was hesitant.
"I'm in." Julius was happy to join in on the plan. This time had ended with mixed results. Zach had almost died. Dukiel had a mental breakdown. Julius struck gold.
Compared to the other two, Julius had nothing but luck this time around. He couldn't wait for the next trip to continue taking advantage of this lucky break he found himself with.
"Ugh, fine. But we're going to prepare like our lives depend on it."
"Of course. Last time, all the effort went into finding the Locale. Now that we already know the location, we just have to focus on ourselves."
"You guys just got back but you're already planning to leave again?" Anerias looked over Zach's shoulder at the map with a scoff.
Zach threw himself over the map to hide it from Anerias' prying eyes before glaring back.
"If you want someone to keep you company while you slack off, look elsewhere, fool. We are not your kind."
"What is that even supposed to mean? No, never mind. Jarron told me to tell you that you don't have to come to class tomorrow but to find him in his office afterward."
"Why?"
"How should I know?" Anerias shrugged. He looked at the map again.
"So? You guys were gone for weeks. Don't tell me you didn't accomplish anything."
Zach, Dukiel, and Julius looked at each other.
"Why is it any of your business?"
"I heard a funny rumor."
"...What kind of rumor?"
"That you guys aren't getting out of here until graduation."
"Okay, now that's just plain exaggeration. It was for almost the rest of the year, not until graduation." Dukiel and Julius looked at Zach.
"Dude, he was fishing for the details."
"Oh." Zach turned to Anerias.
"Forget I said anything."
"Too late," teased Anerias.
"Damn it." Zach grabbed his plate and stood up. Dukiel grabbed him before he could smash it over Anerias' head and induce amnesia.
Anerias took a step back and looked warily at Zach before clearing his throat.
"So, it seems to me that you guys need some help."
"What do you want?" Zach glared at Anerias.
Anerias met Zach's glare with a business smile.
"Let's make a deal."
Anerias hadn't forgotten about Zach's promise. If Anerias could give him what he wanted, Zach would give him the information he wanted about his Blackfire Hound or help him find that kind of information.
Zach, however, had forgotten that promise for a moment.
It was only when they started talking about it and Zach remembered his first visit to the library that he recalled it. Zach hadn't forgotten the information Anerias wanted, though.
The Blackfire Hound was a creature of Hell. Killing other creatures of Hell or creatures of Heaven or consuming materials that helped it refine its bloodline would help it grow stronger. Zach didn't mention it since Anerias didn't know to ask for it, but that was probably how to make it evolve as well.
If Zach had to guess, evolution wasn't that straightforward if he based it on how Julius' familiar had evolved. But Yanael had said the Blackfire Hound was a distant relative of a top dog in Hell. By focusing on its bloodline and heritage, it was probably possible to trace it back and make it evolve backward.
But there was no way Zach was giving Anerias that information in exchange for bringing monsters to the campus that Zach and the others could kill to level up.
They weren't allowed to leave the campus. But technically, their familiars could. Anerias just had to drag monsters closer to the Academy.
However, the monsters that were strong enough to make it an efficient method weren't stupid enough to get close to the Academy.
The principal and instructors aside, the Academy crawled with students who could kill the monsters with ease. Even the first-years were finding their place in the forest's ecosystem. The second, third, and fourth years would be even stronger, even if there weren't any S-ranks or more than a couple of A-ranks.
It was better than nothing, but that wasn't the only reason Zach had agreed to it. He had agreed to it because he was in a good mood thanks to Anerias.
The black-haired, mean-faced, dog lover had given Zach an excellent idea.
It was the same principle. Zach would cooperate with the other students. Monsters and information.