Free Web NovelChapter 49: Investment 49— Spectre(Part Two)
Futaba couldn’t give less than a damn about the cloaked man. In her words, "Tsk....what a weakling. At least stick around for a proper beating."
She was always one to rush head-on into the nearest battle, but not without proper preparation. First daughter and first lady of the Eniweiss noble family’s main branch.
She had several siblings who were older than her, but only she possessed a pure bloodline. The rest were either mixed-blood or half-breeds.
Her father, uncle, and mother possessed incredible titles and impeccable reputations. So ever since she was little, their expectations of her were very high. And you bet she didn’t just surpass their expectations—she crushed them.
The Four Seasons were hailed as strong enough to beat demigods, but the student council leaders were also in a league of their own.
Futaba’s father once told her, "The fire in your eyes for conquest far outclasses any little strand of passion that this old man possesses."
"But sometimes it turns out that the greatest of desires are also our greatest weaknesses."
Up until this very day, Futaba still ponders on this very statement of her father’s.
"Fu-chan. Did you get them?" August called out to her from below.
"No, I didn’t. Isn’t it obvious?" She sprinted down and rolled her eyes.
"That’s something we should worry about later," Edith cut in. Her eyes drifted towards Jin. "Shouldn’t Jin get to casting that spell already?" She clenched her teeth.
Jin literally had his jaws dropped wide open—not paying any attention to them or his environment. He was simply awestruck by the terrain of the third floor.
"Jin!" Leonard tapped him on the shoulder.
"Wha—" The words he wanted to utter got stuck in his throat. "I mean, I will get right to it."
He entered a perfect lotus position. A light green spell circle burst forth underneath his crossed legs. The spell circle radiated a calm and subtle green glow. Jin’s dark green hair fluttered gently as a mystical breeze blew around him.
"Affinity Switch: Hive Plant Mind." He placed both palms together. Thin, finely woven transparent threads formed around Jin’s enclosed palms and stretched out.
They extended like spiderwebs towards the other students. Jin’s eyes were shut closed, but he could see and visualise the environment through the various threads and was able to ascertain their movement patterns and the locations of the other students.
The threads attached to the plant seeds that were placed strategically in the pockets of all the students.
"15th-Tier Spell: Reruto Connect."
All the students who had the plant seeds on their bodies were connected to a hive mind created by Jin. Not just them, the student council leaders, Elliot, and the Four Seasons were also linked to the hive mind.
"Connection established." Jin rubbed a finger underneath his nose as he gloated. "You can all thank me later." He chuckled.
"Can you shut up for a second so I can pass the message?" Leonard hid his anger and irritation towards Jin underneath a bright and calm smile.
"I hope you all can hear me clearly." Leonard spoke out again to check if the spell was successful.
"Yes, we can," the students answered mentally.
"First of all, you all need to remain in your current locations. The Four Seasons and the student council leaders will make their way towards you."
"The plan still remains the same, we stick together and demolish this adversity." He said boldly.
The students adhered to his words—after all, it was Prince Leonard who spoke to them. So they easily gave him their trust.
Elliot stayed behind to watch Jin in case of any kind of attack while he maintained the hive mind connection, and the student council leaders and Four Seasons went to get the other students with the guidance of Jin.
The others started to head towards the various locations of the other students—except Seria. She stopped in her tracks and turned her head mechanically towards Elliot, crystal-blue eyes filled with intense worry.
"Elliot-chan.... I can stay with you if need be." The last part of her sentence was nothing but a ruse. Her real intention was to stay close to Elliot because, for some reason, she couldn’t leave him with Jin.
"Seria-chan, that would really be lovely." Elliot discarded the unsettling signs he felt and doted over her instead.
’I can’t believe she cares so much about me.’ All he could see was her intense affection towards him.
"But it would be faster if you go along with them. They could use all the capable hands they can get." He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Eh.. okay, if you say so." Her eyes drifted away from his face as she flushed, and her face turned red in an instant.
"Be safe." He let go of her shoulder as a calm smile formed on his face.
Immediately after Seria left, Jin chose to air his mind—or rather, his point of view.
"Ehh.. How do I put it?" Jin took a deep breath. "Okay.. Dude, I get you guys are greatly in love with each other. But... your ehhh... fiancée, don’t you get the vibe that she’s too intense?"
He said with a low and confident tone.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Elliot was too far gone to even find reason in what Jin had just said.
"Nah... just forget I said anything." Jin turned to his front and continued focusing on the spell.
"Oh..." Elliot looked around the environment to check for any threats. He didn’t even give what Jin said a second thought.
’This guy is a lost cause,’ Jin thought.
Elliot noticed that the forest was far too quiet. Every floor they had been to up till now, they had all been welcomed with hazardous dungeon beasts that were ready to partake of their blood, and yet this floor, being the third, was overly calm.
"Yo! Jin." Elliot turned towards Jin.
"Yes," he replied.
"Do you not feel like something is wrong?" Elliot clutched the hilt of his sword.
"The only thing wrong here is the relationship between you and Seria," Jin mused at the disparity of Elliot’s ignorance.
"Nah, I think we are go—"
Elliot dragged Jin up from the ground and leaped backwards before he could finish his statement.
"Hckkkkk. What the hell was that?"
Whatever dropped in front of them with a booming sound was currently enshrouded by dust.
The same man that Futaba met earlier, clad in a ragged cloak, stepped out from the dust screen with his bare feet—bandages were wrapped all around his two legs. He held his right arm as dark blood dripped from it.
"Elliot Reingard and Jin Swartz." He removed his hood.
"You and the other students are in grave danger." The instant he finished uttering those words, his body staggered as he began to fall to the ground. freēwebnovel.com
"Instructor Neuman!" Elliot grabbed him by the side before his body could reach the ground.
