Like any other disciplinary committee, the Ma Hyun High School disciplinary committee worked in shifts even during vacation.

The first-year committee members frequently looked at the screen, tense. The second-year committee members were peacefully playing smartphone games.

Then suddenly, an alarm sounded.

WEEEENG!

"Wha-what’s happening?!"

The committee members were startled.

This alarm indicated danger level 4. It was triggered when strong magic clashed within the jurisdiction.

The committee members simultaneously turned their heads toward the screen.

A large amount of magic was being detected on the radar.

"Senior?!" "What is this insane amount of magic…?"

The density of the magic displayed on the radar was color-coded. Naturally, the higher the density, the stronger the magic.

The levels of magic concentration shown were unbelievable.

They could tell that the magic currently clashing belonged to top-tier individuals even within the academy city.

"Switch the camera to the drone view closest to that area!" "Yes!"

The screen switched to the drone’s perspective.

BOOM!!

On the screen, explosions spread across the city outskirts, and the rising dust caught the eyes of the committee members.

The second-year committee member broke into a cold sweat.

"Hey, this is… a major incident." "A major… incident…?" "Report this! Quickly!" "Yes, sir!"

The first-year committee member hurriedly grabbed the communication equipment.

"Platoon leader, reporting in! It seems there’s a disturbance in the outskirts. The magic density measured in the atmosphere is approximately 56,000 spx(Spellix)…! It’s a high-risk level!"

Spellix was a unit used to measure the concentration of magic in the atmosphere.

There was a gulping sound from the other end of the communication device.

─ Wait a minute. Did you see that right? Fifty-six thousand…? "Yes. As of 20:49 hours, the exact number is 56,378 spx, excluding decimals!" ─ It’s not a malfunctioning device? "No, sir! It’s functioning normally!" ─ This is ridiculous…. That level of magic means at least 6th-rank monsters are fighting…! And it’s happening in our jurisdiction…! "W-what should we do?!" ─ Send drones to assess the situation…! No, prepare to deploy! Gather all reserve forces! I’ll report to the chief. "Yes, sir!"

The Ma Hyun High School disciplinary committee began preparing to deploy.

Outside the Jurisdiction of Ma Hyun High School

RUMBLE!!

In the outskirts of Ma Hyun High School’s jurisdiction.

A foreboding earthquake began.

The communication device was filled with various screams. The vehicles were shaking wildly.

Threatening roars continuously came from beneath the ground. To be precise, it was the sound of something enormous burrowing through the earth like a mole.

Eventually.

BOOM!!

─ AAAAAHH!!

Several gigantic snake heads burst out of the ground.

Each was made of mechanical bodies, their height rivaling tall buildings.

The sheer size of them caused the task force vehicles to be lifted off the ground by the mechanical snake heads. They began to slide and fall.

They were falling from a height equivalent to at least a ten-story building. A sense of weightlessness ensued.

Screams filled the communication device, which was only natural.

─ Leader!! Save meeee!! Aaaargh!! My liiiiife!!!

Park Min-hyuk’s desperate cries.

─ Hahahaha!! ─ A free gyro drop!

The volunteer club laughed gleefully, even finding amusement in the fall.

Their positivity was almost suspicious, bordering on madness.

I held Se-ah in my arms, concerned that she might get hurt, and braced myself against the ceiling, maintaining a stable posture.

I looked out the vehicle’s window.

The mechanical snake that revealed itself reminded me of the mythical Hydra.

This was Moon Chae-yeon's long-time and highly magical creation. Chimera.

That was the Chimera's tail. Also known as the ‘Six Snake Tails.’

‘It’s on a different level compared to the game….’

Though it was depicted as a huge weapon in the game, seeing it in reality was incomparable.

The actual sight was quite grand.

The snake bodies were covered with numerous TVs. Each TV displayed grotesque, emoji-like faces.

It seemed as if it would fit right into a horror game.

The detection equipment in the vehicle indicated that a vast amount of electromagnetic waves were being emitted from those countless TVs.

‘Where is the center of the Chimera?’

Falling from such a height made it easy to identify the locations.

Where did the snake heads emerge from?

It was a simple matter of connecting the points where the snakes appeared and finding the intersection.

‘…There it is.’

The location was some distance away.

‘No wonder I kept failing to set the coordinates. There was still quite a distance.’

I had continuously tried to set the coordinates underground to reach Chae-yeon.

To store a Chimera, her hideout had to be massive, so I thought it would be easy, but I kept failing. Now I knew why.

There was still some distance left.

‘The Chimera is controlled by Moon Chae-yeon. So if I go to where those tails emerged….’

I could reach the Chimera's control room, where Moon Chae-yeon would be.

HOOO!!

From the body of one particularly dark-colored snake, a strange light flowed along the seams, producing a deafening roar.

The other snakes all opened their mouths and concentrated magic within them.

Chae-yeon had converted electromagnetic waves into energy.

Judging by the magic felt on my skin, it was easy to guess that this firepower was stronger than the magic projectiles the Iron Golem had fired earlier.

[HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!]

All the TVs attached to the Chimera's snake tails echoed with laughter. The TVs displayed hideous laughing faces.

They were mocking us.

"Volunteer Club, emergency landing, please!"

I shouted into the communicator.

The drivers activated a mechanical device.

WOOO!!

Air cushions deployed from beneath the cars.

Inspired by Se-ah's use of an air cushion to prevent my fall, we had added emergency devices just in case.

We landed safely with a moderate impact.

The air cushions detached, and the vehicles began to move again.

It was fortunate we had prepared.

"Can I breathe now, senior?" "Are you hurt?" "Thanks to you… I think I’m fine?"

I released Se-ah from my arms. She smiled slyly as she answered.

However, there was a subtle awkwardness in her smile, indicating she was indeed surprised.

"Let’s dive straight in. To that center."

I told the driver and Lee Jung-mi.

"Yes, sir!"

The driver drove forward.

‘Hmm?’

These people showed no sign of fear even after witnessing the grandeur of the Chimera.

Despite Min-hyuk’s terrified screams from the communicator, they remained calm.

‘They’re steadfast….’

I had expected the driver to hesitate and shout in panic.

I had even prepared arguments to persuade them quickly, and if I failed, I was ready to go alone.

But they performed much better than expected.

The Dowa faction members exuded a strong will, as if no obstacle could stop them.

‘These people… are quite reliable.’

The task force vehicles all followed in the same direction.

Escaping was meaningless, considering the wide attack range of the Chimera.

Even if we scattered, the snake group would easily crush each vehicle like swatting mosquitoes.

Ultimately, relying on my ability to deflect attacks was the only solution.

We couldn’t afford to scatter.

However.

Buzz!

─ Did you notice?

Chae-yeon's voice came through the communicator again.

"Dammit, another hacking…! What route this time?"

Lee Jung-mi frowned as she checked the mechanical device.

─ This hacking is different. It will be hard to fend off like last time.

Chae-yeon’s mocking voice was heard.

─ And this time, it will be hard to block the attack with that technique. You’re going to die for real this time.

Such vile words.

I recalled the Chimera’s attack patterns from the game.

Of course, the game and reality are different.

The attack patterns of a game boss wouldn’t perfectly match reality.

But at least understanding the boss’s functions was possible.

The mechanical snake farthest from us.

Unlike the other mechanical snakes, it was only glowing and not gathering magic in its mouth.

That one was the problem.

If the attack was visible like projectiles, there would be no issue. I could deflect them with my magic formula.

The problem was if the attack was biological or storm-like.

Such attacks couldn’t be blocked with my ability. How could I deflect all the meticulously spreading magic particles with a rift?

The only glowing mechanical snake had such an attack pattern.

Chae-yeon had intentionally made its color distinct to differentiate it.

─ What will you do now, our disciplinary committee leader?

Chae-yeon’s taunting voice echoed.

Given how childishly she provoked, it was clear that the easy defeat of the Iron Golem had significantly bruised her ego.

"Yeah…."

I sighed at the absurdity.

"As you said, I can’t block that."

─ What? Are you admitting and giving up?

"But I'm not the only one you're up against."

─ …What?

"Look at that snake."

Above the glowing snake’s head.

A female student was standing, backlit by the moonlight.

She had her eyes closed and her head raised, focusing her mind. She had tied her jacket around her waist and was wearing a sleeveless top, bathed in moonlight.

Her light blue hair flowed in the strong wind.

"Soon, it will become recyclable trash."

This is Academy City, Neo Seoul.

It’s the living area of evolved new humans who have adapted to magic.

The average citizen here was far stronger than the old humans. It could be described as an upward standardization.

Therefore, students who indulged in their power and committed misconduct were easily found.

So those responsible for policing the misconduct naturally bore a significant risk.

Thus, the disciplinary committee had to be composed of top-tier fighters who could control everyone.

This was no exception for any academy’s disciplinary committee.

Ah-seong High School’s official second strongest. Ha Ye-song. Nickname, Silver Wolf.

She opened her eyes.

HOOO!!

A chilling aura spread rapidly.

A silver aura neatly enveloped Ye-song's body, forming a partial armor-like shape.

A wolf ear-like magic structure, matching her taste, formed on her head.

She looked like a beast wrapped in flames.

The unique ability, Lycanthrope. Magic formula type 1, Moon Wolf Armor.

Ye-song raised her right arm. Her muscles became prominent, and veins bulged.

Her claws had already turned sharp and pointed.

Swish! Silver magic enveloped her claws.

Ye-song smirked and looked down at the snake head beneath her feet with contempt.

She then swung her arm.

Swish!

As Ye-song’s claws slashed through the air, the snake’s head was severed into several pieces.

The fearsome aspect of the unique ability, Lycanthrope, lay in its extraordinary cutting power.

Ye-song quickly tore through the mechanical snake's body.

Slash! Slash!

The sound of steel being ripped and shattered echoed repeatedly.

Her sharp magic cut through the tough mechanical snake’s body and emerged repeatedly.

The mechanical snake writhed, spitting sparks like blood.

Soon.

Boom!

Ye-song easily severed the connection between the mechanical snake and the ground and casually walked out.

She brushed off her shoulders.

BOOM!!

The glowing mechanical snake exploded at various points, finally collapsing and scattering a cloud of dust.

The unique ability, Lycanthrope. Magic formula type 2, Moonlight Slash.

Ye-song’s unique ability boasted strong cutting power and excellent speed even during the day. But her power was maximized when the moon’s surface was large.

Tonight was a night with a bright crescent moon.

I expected Ye-song’s ability to easily take down a snake tail.

So I had instructed her in advance, considering Chae-yeon’s pattern, to target the darker-colored mechanical snakes when the Chimera appeared.

─ Ugh….

Chae-yeon groaned.

A snake tail, crafted with painstaking effort like the Iron Golem, had been destroyed in an instant, leaving her speechless.

"This is my subordinate."

I climbed back onto the vehicle.

─ Alright, alright…. That should be expected.

Chae-yeon’s voice mixed with heavy breathing. She seemed to be controlling her emotions.

Ye-song charged at another mechanical snake, but it was too late.

─ Now, try blocking this.

BOOM!!

The remaining mechanical snakes fired all the energy they had been gathering at the task force vehicles.

Even Ye-song couldn't take down all the remaining snake tails.

The snake Ye-song had destroyed was designed for offensive purposes and had reduced skin hardness to increase magic conductivity.

If she tried to take down one or two more mechanical snakes, she would reach her limit. It would also take time to defeat them.

Besides, the Chimera’s full power wasn’t revealed yet.

Well, just defeating one snake tail I couldn’t handle was already a great help from Ye-song.

‘The rest is my job.’

Ye-song was officially Ah-seong High School's second strongest.

After defeating the necromancer Han Seo-jin, I had unofficially been elevated to the second strongest.

Facing the Chimera was naturally my role.

The task force’s job was to support.

Rip!

I cast the magic formula type 3, Reverse Dimension, once more.

All the energy fired by the Chimera poured into the rift created in the air.

"……!"

It’s heavy.

The density of the magic far exceeded my expectations. It was an attack I couldn’t handle.

I felt my magic circuit was about to break. There was no way I could return the attack.

Eventually, the coordinates were set randomly.

All the energy crossing the wormhole created by my unique ability was expelled in a completely wrong direction.

BOOM!!

The energy fired by the snake tails hit the ground, causing a huge explosion.

The strain made breathing difficult. I took a moment to catch my breath.

‘If we had taken even one hit from that, it would have been the end….’

Moreover, if the coordinates had been set wrong and the attack had been directed toward the bustling area….

I didn’t want to imagine it.

─ Wow…, you blocked it? You really are something…, aren’t you? It’s a shame to kill you here.

"Thanks for the compliment."

─ Heh.

We repeated the words we exchanged on the first day we met Chae-yeon.

Ye-song began to attack another mechanical snake, and the task force vehicles continued to drive through the tall mechanical snakes.

The mechanical snakes again began gathering energy in their mouths.

─ But now what? Can you block the next one? That technique seems to consume a lot of magic.

Next….

This was enough.

My focus shifted underground.

Coordinate setting.

Underground.

…Done.

"There won’t be a next."

─ What?

Rip!

I created a rift and stepped into it.

Underground Facility

Deep underground, there was a vast facility.

A massive mechanical weapon that had sent six mechanical snakes to the surface was situated in the center. It was the Chimera.

Surrounding it were numerous mechanical soldiers prepared for enemy intrusion.

Chae-yeon watched the monitors displaying the surface situation from the Chimera’s head, in the control room.

"Disappeared…?"

The Ah-seong High School disciplinary leader, Ahn Woo-jin, had vanished into a rift.

Woo-jin's ability was spatial movement.

His sudden disappearance meant….

"Everyone, prepare for battle!"

Chae-yeon immediately ordered all the standby forces to prepare for combat.

All the mechanical soldiers responded to the voice command and emitted light from their eyes.

Clank! They equipped various weapons, including cannons, firearms, and melee weapons, and prepared for battle by drawing magic.

"!"

Suddenly, a foreboding magic was felt from above.

Chae-yeon instinctively looked up.

At that moment, a brilliant flash.

BOOM!!!!

A powerful turquoise lightning bolt, spanning several meters, rained down with thunder.

The unique ability, Spatial Domination. Magic formula type 2, Spatial Lightning.

An attack fully leveraging the magic amplification effect of the wormhole, a perk of the unique ability, Spatial Domination.

Even a 6th-rank powerhouse wouldn’t survive unscathed.

The turquoise lightning bolt directly hit the Chimera.

The electricity spread, sweeping away the surrounding mechanical soldiers.