Talentless Extra Of The Legendary Hero Academy-Chapter 87: Reward

Even Head Instructor Darius Faulkner was apparently in a good mood because he sent them the reward of catching Zigi the next day.

"So this is the reward," Julius said. He adjusted his glasses.

It was evening, and they were in the House building. They crowded around Julius, who was holding the paper.

Severin, who’d already read the paper, sat at the head of the table and folded his fingers together as he tried to make sense of what Darius sent to him.

One thing was clear: Darius Faulkner was sending him another test. Or the man was just trying to kill him.

"What’s so bad about this?" Derrick asked. He scratched his head. "He’s sending us to a place that’s filled with such wealth, so why do you look as if you’ve tasted something bad, Julius?"

Ethan snorted and answered instead. "It’s true that the location is filled with Etherion stones, but it’s also cursed."

"Cursed?" Serena asked. She swallowed, her eyes on Ethan as if he was going to start a horror story.

"Yes. All those who have tried to develop the place have mysteriously disappeared. Almost all the Houses have had the right to the land at one time in the Academy’s history, and yet they’ve failed to develop the land.

Ironically, it’s not even that deep into the Field Zone, and yet none of the Houses were able to claim it," Ethan said.

Julius nodded. "They tried, of course. But the raid on the land always failed because people end up missing without any explanation."

Celia shuddered. "But why don’t the Academy do anything about it?"

Ethan snorted. "This is what makes the Zenith Hero Academy different from most academies. They let us students run things most of the time. We work for resources that make us stronger, and the Field Zone is one of those places we get resources. Why should the Academy step in when the students have to work for everything?

If it’s too hard, we’re advised to go home."

Julius sighed. "Don’t you check the papers you signed when you were registering? One of them contains the clause where the Academy isn’t guaranteed to protect you. In short, you are the best person to look after yourself here."

Everyone slowly digested that.

Ultimately, the Academy was letting them know they were responsible for their own lives.

No wonder the students that graduate from the Zenith Hero Academy are always treated with respect, and they snatch up positions quickly.

If you can graduate from the Academy, then it’s proof that you are capable.

But the Academy itself is against anyone graduating.

"So the reward of working so hard to catch that bastard is useless," Derrick scowled.

Julius sighed. "At least we gain some insight into how strong the next Advancement Stage is. We learn some moral reward."

"Some shit like that," Serena nodded.

For the first time since the meeting started, Severin shifted. He tapped the table lightly with his finger. "We have received our reward, and we will use it to build the House. It’s time I turn my attention to it."

Although the House was initially the means to an end of the dungeon raiding, he couldn’t just throw away a resource like that, and taking control of the cursed land would be the fuel to build it.

They turned to Severin, their eyes cautious.

Before, they would have looked at him as if he was insane and with flat expressions, but right then their gaze was a mixture of uncertainty and curiosity.

Julius hesitated. "House leader, you have to understand that the cursed land is a place where most of the Houses won’t even touch. Some of them directly suffered from the land when their people went missing."

Severin nodded.

He knew it all too well because it was something that became useful for the main protagonist in the future. Lucas Dawn needed money for something, and the quickest place to get it was to enter the Field Zone for it.

He did and went directly to the cursed land.

What was making people go missing was actually monsters.

Very weak monsters, for that matter. The monsters are called dark cloak, and it was the first time that such monsters became known to people and added to the database.

It was a big deal then when Lucien Dawn discovered them. He even got some credits from the Academy because of it.

Dark cloak are monsters that are born from the dark itself. They’re darkness given life, and they are pack monsters. They would blend into the shadows at the edge of camp, and then at night they would slowly creep over, their powers snuffing all light until they swallow the camp or anyone caught.

Individually, they are very weak, but together? Very dangerous.

The other thing they could do was mess with the mind. They could make the mind relax and even cause small confusion, creating illusions so that people in camp won’t become suspicious.

He tapped the table again to get their attention. "We will go. But our operation this time will also depend on you, Julius."

"Me?"

Severin nodded. "Yes. I have a hunch about the type of monster that’s in that place. It must have mental powers for it to be able to kidnap people without them knowing."

Julius shifted uncomfortably on his seat. "I don’t know. You want me to shield everyone just like last time? It’ll be difficult. I don’t think I’ve improved enough to do that, and besides, what if the monster isn’t..."

"Start training. You will be shielding us from mental attacks, and that’s final. We will go in a week, so that’s enough time for you to train."

Severin said the word with finality, and Julius kept shut. He swallowed and finally nodded.

He turned to the others. "The same goes for you guys."

Thankfully, when Lucas went for the cursed land, it was still when he was in his first year. Instead of permanently giving the land to Severin as Darius did, he opened the land for anyone that wanted to try their luck.

And that was how Lucas went.

Julius stood and cleared his throat. "If we are going, then we would need to buy some things..."