Astral Online: Cursed by the Demon Lord to Become the Strongest Beautiful Girl, I Rapidly Grow and Dominate with Cheat Skills Despite Being the Weakest Profession - Chapter 181
Chapter 181: An Ominous Shadow
After the morning commotion, all students gathered in the gymnasium, where the principal introduced the Guardian’s website.
Displayed on a large screen in front of Sora and the others was a list of monsters currently confirmed in the real world. So far, there were only two types: crab-like monsters and shark-like monsters. Large creatures like krakens or king sharks had yet to be confirmed.
Though these monsters were non-aggressive and harmless, imagining them swimming in the real world was frightening enough to make anyone reluctant to go near the ocean.
As these thoughts crossed her mind, the principal operated a remote control, changing the screen’s content. It now displayed incidents involving monsters that had occurred today.
Nationally, there were no fatalities, though there were hundreds of minor to severe injuries, and several people were reportedly unconscious. Alongside news that the Guardian’s specialized units were responding to the situation, Principal Mutsuki addressed everyone in the gymnasium with a final instruction:
“If you see a monster, do not engage with it. Run away.”
With that, the assembly was concluded.
After the assembly, Sora returned to the classroom with his classmates. A few people approached her with concern for her, dressed in her blue tracksuit. Naturally, aside from being drenched, she hadn’t been hurt at all. Smiling, she assured her classmates that she was fine, thanking them before taking his seat.
While Sora watched her neighbor Kurono being doted on by a group of girls, a stylish, beautiful girl seated in front of Sora, Nakai, paused her conversation with friends to greet her.
“Good morning! Seems like you had a rough morning. Are you okay?”
“Good morning! Yeah, it was scary, but I’m fine.”
“…If even Kamijo-kun, who’s known as the strongest, found it scary, then I’d definitely need to run if I ever encountered one in real life.”
“Yep, it’s super dangerous, so I think you absolutely should run.”
When Sora sternly advised her, Nakai saluted with a playful “Roger that, Instructor Kamijo!” in a perfect military-style gesture. Her usual cheerfulness made her smile without realizing it.
“Good to see you’re doing well. Let me give you a new hairstyle to match that tracksuit look later.”
“Oh, if you remember.”
“Got it, I’ll make sure I remember!”
With that, Nakai turned back to rejoin her friends’ conversation. She was just as pushy as the class monitor, second only to her in persistence… Sora thought to herself, glancing at the clock. First period was about to begin soon. There wasn’t enough time to get up and talk to anyone else.
…But still, several people in critical condition.
Resigning herself, Sora propped her chin on his right hand and gazed out the window. The strange weather continued outside—a beautiful blue sky paired with pouring rain.
As she watched the raindrops streak down the glass, she recalled this morning’s events in light of the news. In hindsight, if she hadn’t dodged and had gone for a counterattack, the monster might have become aggressive, causing harm around her.
While it turned out fine, a single wrong choice could have led to a disaster.
This is reality, not a game.
When Sora thought about the possibility of death as the worst outcome for the girl at that moment, she felt a chill run down her spine. From now on, she needed to stay vigilant, even in the real world.
As she reflected on this, the male math teacher entered the classroom. The chime signaling the start of class echoed, and he instructed everyone standing to take their seats. Sora let out a single sigh to release the weight in her chest and shifted her focus to the lesson.
………………………
The morning classes passed without incident, and after finishing lunch, Sora and her friends were set to visit a temple a short distance from the school.
The reason? Shinji and Shiro had something to discuss with them.
When Sora asked about the topic, they replied that it was something only to be discussed away from others. So, they decided on a secluded temple, where visitors were practically nonexistent. With Inori’s suggestion, they all piled into a luxury car that came to pick her up, arriving at the temple within two minutes.
The butler quickly opened the door, and after thanking him, they stepped out. With umbrellas in hand, they entered the temple grounds, heading towards the wooden doors and stepping into the chapel. The interior was as pristine as the last time they’d visited, with the wooden floors polished to a gleam. Even a light touch on the evenly spaced benches left no dust on their fingers. Although no one seemed to use this place, perhaps the white-clad girls came to clean it regularly.
As they walked, they saw Shinji and Shiro standing behind the altar. The two tall, handsome men side-by-side looked like a typical scene from a school drama, as if introducing themselves as new teachers.
“So, what’s this topic that can only be discussed here?” Sora asked.
It was Shinji who spoke first.
“Recently, while Shiro, Yoru, and I were exploring ruins, we were attacked by hostile NPCs.”
“Hostile NPCs… could it be followers of the Demon Dragon King Belial?”
The thought of hostile NPCs immediately reminded Sora of the group that attacked her and Kurono during their journey through the lava fields. Since the three of them were currently in the lava fields, she wondered if it might have been survivors from that group. But Shiro shook his head, dismissing Sora’s theory.
“The attackers were soldiers sent from Helheim.”
“…What!?”
Sora, Kurono, and Inori’s eyes widened in shock at Shiro’s response. They had only heard of Helheim once, from the Wind Spirit Princess Aria. It was said to be ruled by the Queen of the Underworld. The only other known fact was that Kurono’s father, a beta player named Hart, had once been captured and forced to wear a cursed armor with brainwashing effects.
For NPCs to capture and brainwash players… that was undeniably a dangerous power.
Some time ago, Shino and Shiori had warned everyone to stay alert regarding Helheim. Because of this, it had become widely recognized among adventurers as a nation to be on high alert for.
“Shinji, Shiro, is that really true?”
“It is. We found an item that was definitely made in Helheim.”
“It was a one-handed sword I’ve never seen before, with a rarity of B, which is pretty high. Of course, we’ve thoroughly checked its safety, and we’re keeping it securely to make sure it isn’t equipped or sold,” Shiro added.
Sora felt a bit of relief at Shiro’s last words. If someone were to equip it and end up like Hart, it would be a disaster. Hart’s Helheim armor, even after its curse was lifted, still caused NPCs to dislike him. If he’d sold it carelessly, he might never be able to use NPC shops again.
“Shinji or I might accidentally sell it, but with Shiro in charge, that’s a relief,” Sora said.
“I felt the same and left it to him,” Shinji agreed.
“I appreciate your trust, but please don’t throw all the responsibility at me,” Shiro replied with a grimace.
Sora and Shinji exchanged glances, turning away from Shiro’s gaze, and, with a whistle, Sora steered the conversation back on track.
“Alright, jokes aside, the real issue is why Helheim soldiers appeared at this specific time.”
“Maybe they’re targeting the three of you, like with my dad?” Kurono suggested.
“That’s possible, but I don’t think so. What matters is that they appeared in the ruins,” Sora replied.
“Ruins…?” Kurono tilted her head, and Inori, suddenly realizing something, answered.
“Could it be related to angels?”
“Correct. Back when Hart attacked us, he was after the ‘Jade Ring.’ This time, the three were exploring ruins connected to angels. It’s not a sure thing, but there’s at least an 80% chance Helheim is after angel-related items.”
Although it was only the second incident, Sora’s long-honed instincts told him this was likely their target.
If Helheim were backing the followers of the Demon Dragon King, it would all make sense.
“Either way, we’ll need to stay more vigilant. As long as we’re pursuing angel-related quests, clashes with Helheim are inevitable,” Sora concluded.
As she voiced her resolve, her friends gave her strong, determined nods, sharing her sense of purpose.
“I still owe them for what they did to my dad,” Kurono said.
“If those guys are after unique items, there’s no way I’m backing down as a gamer,” Shinji added.
“I’d love to get my hands on a unique item too, so I’m ready for a good battle,” Shiro agreed.
“I-I’ll do my best… too,” Inori stammered.
Taking in her friends’ shared resolve, Sora smiled and concluded, “Alright, from now on, let’s make defeating Helheim one of our goals. Don’t let them capture you, whatever happens.”