Chapter 347 339: Home Sweet Home Reprised
The academy acknowledged the danger that they were asking the students to put themselves in. Since things were not as controlled as they would be in the Elysium Tower, they first only took the students focused in classes on combat. Furthermore, they also gave the option to sit out of the event for the students.
Which, most naturally, almost no one availed.
All said and done, we were divided into many different smaller groups focused more and efficiency and team building instead of power balance. In other words, the strong were hooked with the strong, and the weak were hooked with the weak.
For this specifically, Keith, who was a retiree, and Dawn who was an active adventurer had also renewed their licenses and were coming along. Maria would have been the only one left behind due to that, but she cared little for it.
And so.
We were at the place that was going to be the last stop for all the students before being split up into groups of five each.
And that place was none other than.
"Home, sweet home."
"Really?"
Sitting in the carriage across me, the members of my team asked. We were all divided into teams of five with at least two instructors, which meant either teachers or adventurers with the students. The number of kids in the first place that passed was very low, and the combatants were even lesser.
"Didn\'t we just come from your home?"
I peeked my head out of the window and grinned.
"Of course not. That is my territory, the mansion might be my \'house,\' but this is my home."
In the distance. Through the skies and below it, past the giant walls that made the divide for the autonomous zone between three countries.
"Deep Down Town…" I could hold my excitement back anymore.
"I am excited about this place then, brother!"
"Wow, you sure shifted your tune quickly."
"Should I call him boss, Miss Noa?"
"Why are you asking me?"
Since I said strong with strong, there were very few options for us.
Noa, Albert, Luka, and the two Fonias twins were put up in a single group. The anger Marissa expressed at this decision almost made me want to not know her, but she calmed down when further details were discussed.
"We\'re only here for a day, after this, the main event starts," said Irina, the other instructor that was going to be paired with me as she leaned back on her seat.
The carriage continued to rattle toward the walls and the place came closer, and so did rise my excitement.
The two years I had spent here were probably the best parts of This Eroge Won\'t Make Me Fall.
"You all better be ready, we\'re told to get only a single part of the east, but I am not settling for that."
"Sure sure, we\'ll be going to the Asahi estate first, right?" Albert chimed in. "Is there a dungeon there?"
"Goemon\'s tomb and there are a bunch more smaller ones around. No place is as densely crowded with dungeons as the east." I had studied all of this. "That is also why the empire could frequently intervene in matters the East."
Irina nodded.
"This is more like a clean up since many monsters can escape the dungeons. They are fairly strong and numerous as hell, it helps maintain the balance and train students from both Academies."
The caravan came to a sudden stop then.
"Hm?"
We were still traveling in a long line of students, so we had stopped ways away. I was about to look out when Irina continued speaking.
"Don\'t worry. This autonomous zone is strict on checking like this."
"I am aware. I am just surprised they are being sincere with their jobs."
"They probably let you adventurers off the hook?" Albert suggested and I shrugged. It seemed a bunch of knights had come along and were checking the caravans. I wondered if I should have come here while doing a handstand.
It was then.
A guard came to check our caravan as well.
"Just students," he sighed and opened the door. "I detect no problematic device. A teacher, and an adventurer—"
The guard froze.
His eyes stuck on me.
My lips curled into a smile.
Everyone else stared at us with surprise.
"What\'s up? What\'s happening?"
"Is there a problem, guard?"
The guard raised his hands and took a step back.
"D-d-d-dusk…"
I couldn\'t hold back my laugh anymore.
He rushed outside and screamed at all the guards around.
"DUSK!!!! DUSK HAS RETURNED!! LOCK THE CITY DOWN!"
"What?! What the fuck?" Luka asked, astonished.
"What did you do in this place you rat!?"
"As expected of our brother!"
"Scary. Cool."
The screams of my name spread through the guards and into the city. Dusk Dusk, the word echoed through the skies of the Deep Down Town.
Children ran back to their homes and adults hid under tables.
And the voice likely reached.
The ears of the adventurer guild too.
"Instead of waiting here, I should go greet them."
I stepped out of the carriage and stretched my hands and my back.
"Come back quick."
"Don\'t destroy the city."
Albert and Irina were pretty mellow about all this, but the others were fairly surprised. Noa asked if I would be ok, but I told her not to worry.
Then, I walked straight away from the caravan and toward the doors.
The principal had, obviously, not come along for this, so there was no one I needed to report to particularly beyond Irina.
The guards all stumbled back as they saw me.
"Town has been well?" I asked.
"Go back, heathen!"
"Banish! Banished be thee from this world!"
Cute bastards.
I simply slapped them away and stepped inside.
"Catene, Modo Attacio."
The chains turned into a sword, the ring on my hand. I snapped my fingers and switched into a long coat and an open fronted tunic that highlighted my scars well.
"Adventurer Dusk is here to set some fuckers straight."