[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero":3,"chapter-i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-51":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Became the Academy’s War Hero",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1531658,1990,"Chapter 51 : The Uninvited Hero (3)","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-51",51,"\u003Cp>Chapter 51: The Uninvited Hero (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Student?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. His name is Eric Halenber, and he’s in need of protection.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not seriously going to refuse a student whose life is in danger, in this so-called humanitarian Magic Tower, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When did this place ever… haah… fine. I’ll inform them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after I’d half-forced her cooperation did Meriel finally return to her original question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So, why did Agent Rubia end up like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a long story…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then make it short.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, ma’am.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept the story to the facts as much as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that I had any intention of revealing everything anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I made sure to emphasize one thing — that everyone had survived thanks to Rubia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meriel listened silently, and even after I finished, she remained quiet for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t until we were near the 21st floor of the tower that she finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s the complete opposite of twelve years ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Twelve years ago?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I continued to keep my harmless expression, she sighed beside me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well… if you don’t want to talk about it, I’ll pretend not to know. It can’t have been a pleasant memory for you either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, I really don’t know what you’re talking about, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to press her for an answer, but I held back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no reason to let them know that part of my memory wasn’t clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we neared the top, the brightness around us grew stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Barion Orb, which had previously been too high to see, now came into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We stopped in front of a massive door covered in intricate magic circles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waving her wand a few times, she recited a short incantation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the door opened in a burst of multicolored light, Meriel pointed her wand at me and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Be especially careful inside. Unless you want to die without anyone ever knowing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression showed she wasn’t entirely satisfied, but she let it go for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside was a scene that could only be described as supernatural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stars and nebulae stretched across the ceiling, while streaks of blue light darted between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Artifacts embedded in the dark floor shone like stars scattered through a universe of dark matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the size of the tower and the rooms we’d passed so far, the interior couldn’t have been larger than a hundred pyeong, yet it looked as if it went on endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as I stepped forward, I couldn’t fathom how this was possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center stood a golden metallic cylinder, radiating a soft glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was about one and a half meters tall, with plenty of empty space inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meriel placed her right hand on the cylinder and flicked her fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A ball of thread-like energy floated through the air and seeped into the cylinder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, mana began to condense in her right hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the process, I asked quietly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not going to explain what you’re doing, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the mana gathered in her hand flowed into the cylinder, I glanced around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ve never heard of a place like this in the Magic Tower.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I prided myself on knowing more about MAGA than even its developers, but apparently, I still had a long way to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how I looked at it, I didn’t recall this being mentioned in the original story at all…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, she spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…But this time, there’s no other choice. You’re the only one who can treat her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice came from ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the very least, you need to know how to use it — otherwise, you’ll just get lost in the dream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In a dream?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll get straight to the point, so listen carefully. I won’t repeat myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once her preparations were complete, Meriel began walking slowly around the cylinder as she explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I had suspected, the golden pillar in the center was an Artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its name was Episode Gazer, and its grade was top-tier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was one of the rarest Artifacts in the world — the only one of its kind in the Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its primary effect was to peer into a target’s memories and use that as a basis to interfere with their consciousness, though its applications were said to vary widely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite its rarity, its actual use was extremely limited — mainly because its activation requirements and mana consumption were notoriously demanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How long has Agent Rubia been unconscious, Colonel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s about to pass ten hours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten hours, huh… Still ambiguous, but considering her mana capacity and recovery rate, this possibility seems far more likely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What possibility would that be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I looked into the Artifact, I saw that the cylinder was now filled with a translucent liquid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Meriel nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s not unconscious due to mana depletion. Her subconscious is deliberately preventing her awakening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s… possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For first-rate magicians, yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said it as if it were nothing, but to me, it was quite a shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were ways to forcibly prevent someone’s awakening — curses, specially crafted drugs, and the like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to do that subconsciously? I’d never heard of such a thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The more skilled a magician is, the more sensitive they become to their inner voice and deep consciousness. Especially when their mana’s depleted — their mind gets sharper, more fragile.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the confusion on my face, she added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In simple terms, she’s dreaming such a happy dream that she doesn’t want to wake up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I think I get it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So what should I do now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Meriel tapped the top of the pillar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All you have to do is pour in a sufficient amount of mana. Then you’ll be able to synchronize with her subconscious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That’s it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve already opened the passage. Whether she accepts you or not will depend on her subconscious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before I could proceed, she added one last warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just remember this — never interfere with the memory. All you’re allowed to do is watch. Remember that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The more you say that, the more tempting it sounds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Synchronization alone puts immense strain on the mind. If you take it further and try to interfere, her subconscious could fracture — she might suffer memory distortion, or even forget you entirely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That would be troublesome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not that it matters. With your level of skill, interference is impossible anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That one stung a bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, even if my favorability dropped, it wasn’t as though I couldn’t save them — but there was no need to destroy a bond that already existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially with Rubia. My connection with her was far more important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the only one who had a link with Eugene Carter — not just now, but from the past as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering how unclear my memories were, that connection was crucial to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even aside from my personal feelings toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meriel, who had been watching my heavy expression, nodded and gestured toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re ready, let’s begin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave a small nod instead of answering and began channeling mana into the Episode Gazer without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My consciousness, which had quickly drifted away, slowly returned as my senses came back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was all — I couldn’t do anything directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My vision, hearing, even smell were all clear, but none of them responded to my will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So this is what synchronization feels like.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like dreaming… or watching a movie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, that didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I focused my eyes and ears on the scene Rubia’s subconscious was showing me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the middle of a dim forest, two figures stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twelve years ago — Eugene Carter and Rubia Magnus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rubia was backing away in panic while Eugene held onto her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked utterly terrified, as if she’d just seen something she shouldn’t have.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Calm down, Rubia. Those who bound you aren’t here anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“B-but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know where they are now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“R-right in front of me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. Did you forget? You said it yourself — they were arrested for blasphemy. Locked up in the coldest, darkest prison in the Empire. And soon enough, they’ll lose their heads.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’ll beg pathetically for their lives, but the blade doesn’t care. They’ll die thrashing in vain, without a single thought of repentance — or of you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So tell me, should you really be suffering like this for scum like them? They’re nothing but ghosts that don’t even exist anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps his words had an effect — life began to return to Rubia’s clouded eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, she gasped and released the tears she’d been holding back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching that scene, a small thought crossed my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…If that was twelve years ago, then that brat was fifteen.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’d make him a second-year middle schooler in modern terms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t that a bit too heavy a line for someone that age?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then again, considering Eugene Carter’s original character, maybe it wasn’t so strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He comforted her for quite a while and helped her to her feet, then stood up about ten minutes later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm… you think we can get out of here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I-I’m not sure… I can see the Magic Tower from here, though.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it’s too risky, let’s just wait. Once they realize we’ve gone missing, they’ll come for us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Do you really think they will?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. We’re too important not to. Six hours at most.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Eugene sat down, Rubia hesitantly followed and sat beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After staring silently into the distance, Rubia asked cautiously,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um… Sir Eugene, how did you break free from the illusion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even back then, she called him the same way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, that punk Eugene Carter had the nerve to speak casually to her, his elder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young Eugene closed his eyes slightly and answered as if it were nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t fall for it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“R-really?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But how…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Forest of Delusion only shows hallucinations to people with doubt or emptiness in their hearts. I don’t nurture that kind of thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rubia let out a soft sigh, as if she’d lost her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression made it clear she didn’t know what to say next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy seemed to notice and started talking about himself instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I remembered it too — though I’d kept it buried, since there was no reason to bring up something like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Guess I talked too long. Feels like I just rambled about myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-no, it was nice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then that’s fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Thank you, Sir Eugene. For helping me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t make it weird.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scratching his cheek in embarrassment, he suddenly stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s getting chilly at night. Let’s find some branches for firewood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I saw a big oak grove earlier. Should be easy to—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before they could head north, the two froze at the sudden, eerie sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kagagak, kagagak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A horrible scraping noise grated on their nerves — and from the bushes slowly emerged…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gigantic scorpion, towering over two meters high.\u003C\u002Fp>",1836,"2026-06-06T06:11:51.334Z",1,"novelbin.me","361cd9320ac22c474e36bb55b960037a9b9ac3e2efbd52af0cf010ada9acecbe","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-52","i-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-chapter-163",163,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-became-the-academy-s-war-hero-cover.jpg"]