#1307 Junior’s Adventure – The Mountain Recluse’s Result

I’m Junior. 
I’m climbing Mt. Eternity and running into one unexpected situation after another. 
Multiple ones, too. 

I came all the way here so Demon Prince Goetia could re-recruit Belphgamilia, one of the Heavenly Four. 

But then, we got trapped in a Confusion Barrier, stumbled into retired S-rank adventurer Golden Bat, and now, we’ve somehow reached a training ground for adventurers… 

Can I at least put my stuff down first? 
The sun’s already getting low, thank goodness… 

“So, Saint’s son, what are you doing in a place like this? It’s hardly a casual hiking route.” 

If this is a casual hiking route to someone, they must have incredible stamina. 

It wasn’t part of the plan, but since we met by chance, I can’t just ignore the opportunity. 
I tell him our purpose honestly. 

“Belphgamilia, huh… yeah, I know him,” Golden Bat replies. 

Yes! A lead already! 

“He’s an insufferable guy. Keeps insisting Mt. Eternity belongs to the Demon Kingdom. Stubborn fool. This mountain is huge; big enough to make those little borders humans draw look ridiculous. Trying to cram the symbol of nature into human frames is foolish to begin with…” 

Uh, complaining about him is fine and all, but we’d like to know where he is right now. 

He is here, right? 
On this mountain? 

“Yeah. Climb a bit farther and you’ll find him. Closer to the summit, there’s nothing unnecessary to get in the way, so he’ll stand out.” 
“Oh, that’s perfect! Let’s hurry, Junior!!!” 

Prince Goetia’s already hyped now that we have a precise location. 
Mr. Golden Bat sighs at the sight. 

“Helping demons now? You’re a strange one. Well, as the Saint’s successor, I guess you’re obligated to help your nation’s representative.” 

Well, it’s not just that… 

I’m an adventurer now. When the guild gives me a request, it’s kinda hard to refuse, you know? 

“You what?! You became an adventurer?!” 

That’s the biggest reaction I’ve seen from him today. 
Right, I never actually mentioned that yet. And considering he’s involved with the guild, I probably should have. 

Yes, I’m now a proper adventurer. 
Even the Guildmaster recognized me, so there’s no shame anywhere. 
My rank is Z! 
It sounds like a lie but it’s totally true! 

“You should’ve said that first! Yes, yes! I understand now!” 

Mr. Golden Bat nods to himself, satisfied. 

“So you came here to solidify your fundamentals as an adventurer! Excellent! You clearly understand the fastest way to become strong is to train under me!” 

No, not at all. 
As I said, I’m on a different mission...! 

“Very well! I’ll whip you into shape together with these other numbskulls! Training will be tough, but anyone who survives will be the strongest of the strong! That much I guarantee!” 

Seriously, I didn’t even know there was a training ground here... 
Only Mr. Golden Bat could force things forward this aggressively. 

Speaking of which, those exhausted people over there… they’re trainees? 
There must be dozens of them. 

“Yeah. Although they’re hopeless. It’s more like I’m trying to shake them off rather than train them.” 

Whoa. Harsh...! 

“This was all Silver Wolf’s idea. They’re basically pretend-adventurers the Magic Academy sent over.” 

The Magic Academy. 
I didn’t expect to hear that name here... 

“If you’re an adventurer now, you should’ve heard that the Academy is trying to infringe on the Guild’s authority in the capital. These guys are part of that plot by taking advantage of the Academy’s lax registration to flood us with agents and take the guild apart from inside.” 

Right… the Guildmaster did tell me that, very seriously. 

“Silver Wolf isn’t an idiot. He couldn’t just sit back and watch, after all. So he trusted me to drag all these infiltrators out here under the pretense of training. If I put them through hell, most will quit on their own.” 

...that’s his scheme. 

“But don’t misunderstand. I don’t break trainees on purpose. My pride as a Super Trainer won’t allow it.” 

Well, he does have professional standards. 

“My meticulously crafted program ensures anyone can at least become a capable adventurer. If they drop out, then it’s their own fault. No guts, no real resolve. They’d never last long anyway, so better they switch careers now.” 
“Don’t screw with us!” 

One of the trainee adventurers (?) snaps, apparently listening in. 

“You bully us with absurd training and call it guidance! We can succeed as adventurers just fine without this nonsense!” 
“Yeah! It’s not all about stamina anymore! We have magic! That alone gives us an edge over fossils like you!” 

Ah. Yep. 
They’re definitely Magic Academy types with their blind faith in magic. 

“Ohh? Is that so? Then show me what that ‘edge’ is. If any of you land even a single hit with magic on me, I’ll personally ask the Guildmaster to promote you straight to A-rank.” 
“You said it! Watch this! …Fire Spirit, become my blade and destroy my enemy!” 

Huh? 
He’s chanting at this distance? 

Sure, chanting matters, but enemies also move, attack, and think, you know? 
You can’t just stand still right in front of them… 

“Take this! Flame!” 
“Haaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha!” 

As expected, once the spell finishes and fires, Golden Bat dodges it with ease. 
Casting from scratch then attacking is basically like yelling, “I’m about to shoot now!” before letting an arrow fly. 

For someone who once reached S-rank like Golden Bat, it must feel slow enough to dodge with his eyes closed. 
He could crush them before the spell even completes, but he doesn’t. That’s his own version of kindness, I guess. 

The other trainees start firing spells wildly, too. 
With that many, it’s practically raining magic… and yet Golden Bat doesn’t get hit even once. 

“Haaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha! That’s the power of your magic? What a tiny little advantage!” 

As an instructor, maybe he’s trying to shatter their reliance on magic, the foundation of their elitist attitude, so they’ll finally take training seriously. 

But frankly, things have already moved way beyond that point. 

“Uh, everyone, please calm down and listen to me.” 

 
If I stay silent any longer, I’ll be complicit. 
Spoilers? Who cares about that? 

“The Magic Academy you all know has been dissolved.” 
“HUH?!” 

The Academy infiltrators, all disguised as trainee adventurers, snap their heads toward me, stunned. 

“What are you talking about…? You think we’d fall for such an obvious lie?” 
“Yeah! The Magic Academy is the hottest institution right now! You think it would just collapse like that?!” 

Being holed up this deep in the mountains… of course outside information won’t reach them. 

I don’t know how long they’ve been stuck training here, but the world has been changing. 
Fast. 

“No, really. The headmaster turned out to be just a scam artist.” 
“…What?” 
“And he impersonated Demon Kingdom connections on top of that, so he was arrested and hit with serious charges. The Academy is being rebuilt under the Human Kingdom's government.” 

It’ll become a place for peaceful magic study. 
Naturally, all the shady behind-the-scenes operations are being cut off. 
Meaning: once they go back down this mountain, there’s no career ladder waiting for them anymore. 

“You took down the Magic Academy before you even got here?! As expected of the Saint’s son, you’re bold and fast like your father! Wahahaha!” 

Mr. Golden Bat roars with laughter. 

Meanwhile, the ones most affected, the infiltrators, are… 

“H-Hey… what do we do now…?” 
“If the Academy’s gone, what’s the point of us being here?!” 
“Calm down! He could be lying!” 
“And how do we check?!” 
“No news! No updates! Being stuck in this mountain is killing me!” 

They’re spiraling into paranoia. 

As I thought, being cut off from information is terrifying. 
The world can transform completely, and you’d never know.