I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City-Chapter 141: Second Transcendence

If Noah had been awake, the mood might have lightened, but our beastkin girl had apparently eaten so well that she fell asleep as soon as she got in the car.

'My head hurts.'

Rohan looked at Ichinose, who was sitting in the front seat, after checking Shion and Clara, who were holding his arm like a vice.

Noticing his gaze, Ichinose slowly raised her head with her eyes closed, but before she could look up completely, she quickly turned her gaze away.

"..."

Rohan chuckled softly and closed his eyes.

When they arrived in front of the Public Safety Bureau, Juyeon had already arrived.

After exchanging brief greetings with the two parents, she checked on the cadets and girls.

She looked at Rohan and furrowed an eyebrow, puzzled.

"Rohan. Haven’t you had enough rest? You don’t look well."

At Juyeon's question, Rohan forced a weak smile and bowed his head.

"Instructor, I’m sorry for making a schedule on a day you should have rested."

"This is part of the instructor's job, so you don’t need to apologize. You didn’t fall into the dungeon by choice, nor did you enter a forbidden zone and face Monolith, so act proudly," Juyeon said.

"Yes."

"The investigation won’t take long. It should be similar to last time," Juyeon added, heading inside with Ichinose Jun leading the way.

The rest followed behind. Rohan looked at his group as they moved.

"Shion and Clara, wouldn’t it be better for you to wait at home? You were told it won’t take long, but it might not be as short as you think."

"..."

The two exchanged a quick glance before shaking their heads.

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If they couldn’t wait inside, they planned to wait in the parking lot.

"We’ll wait..."

"We’ll wait," they said firmly.

Momo, hearing their resolute voices, came over and informed them.

"There’s no need to worry. You can wait inside if you’d like. There’s a cafe, too."

"Ah! Thank you for telling us," Rohan replied, and Momo looked toward the entrance of the Public Safety Bureau.

Yui and Noah were just entering.

Before they went inside, Yui glanced over, then walked with heavy steps.

"Rohan cadet, you should go quickly. I’m not the one being investigated, so I can afford to take my time, but Yui’s already inside," Momo said.

"Oh, brother... Hurry back!" Clara cheered.

"You’re not guilty, so there’s no need to shrink away. Go ahead and take it easy," Shion added.

When Shion and Clara finally let go of Rohan, he bowed to Momo and began to move.

Momo looked at her daughter and the two girls competing with her.

They were truly beautiful girls.

"Sorry for barging in. Your name is Shion, right? And you’re Clara?" Momo asked, a little surprised.

They exchanged glances, but this was the first real conversation between them.

"Y-yes, I’m Clara..." Clara stammered.

"I’m Shion Testarossa," Shion introduced herself.

Upon hearing their names, Momo widened her eyes in surprise.

"Testarossa...? You’re the one who just returned to Tigrova, right?" Momo asked.

"Yes. That’s me," Shion confirmed.

Momo had, of course, heard of what had happened inside Tigrova. She was close to Seolho Grandmaster, so it was hard not to know.

It was only natural that Shion was an elf, given her lineage. Momo only knew she was young but didn’t expect her to be so close.

‘Shion Testarossa... Clara... Our daughter needs to do her best,’ Momo thought to herself.

Both girls had their own charms that could stir the hearts of strong men.

After a quick reflection, Momo smiled brightly and took out her smartphone.

"Since we’ve met like this, how about exchanging numbers?"

***

The information shared by the two survivors was highly valuable.

The scholar accompanying the constables was so excited that his hands were trembling as he typed.

Months had passed since the dungeon had been regulated, and an investigative framework had been established along with new laws, so Rohan and Ichinose Yui were rewarded with a considerable amount of coins in their accounts for sharing their information right then and there.

And that was that.

As Juyeon had said, the investigation at the Public Safety Bureau was not long.

Including a brief break, it barely lasted an hour.

They had only shared information about the dungeon, and with Juyeon and Ichinose Jun acting as guardians, the necessary details were separated from the useless curiosity of the scholars with surgical precision.

‘It’s dragging on...’

To Rohan, it seemed like the constables’ lifespans had been shortened from the tension.

"...We’ll conclude the investigation here. Thank you for your cooperation," the constables said, rising from their seats, their legs shaking with exhaustion. They bowed respectfully to Juyeon and Ichinose Jun.

Rohan looked over at Uinose, who had been sitting beside him.

Though they had just been sticking together, the awkward atmosphere had softened considerably.

"Good job."

"You too, Rohan..."

They now exchanged smiles, their heads held high, and the tension between them had melted.

Just then, Ichinose Jun stepped forward.

"Do you have a moment?"

Ichinose Jun’s gaze was firmly fixed on Rohan.

Step. Step. Step.

Rohan and Ichinose Jun walked out through the back door of the Public Safety Bureau.

It was the opposite side of the parking lot, surrounded by thick walls, so the road was not visible.

They saw some constables gathering and smoking at one side.

Ichinose Jun led Rohan in the opposite direction.

As they walked, they passed a vending machine in the corner.

Ichinose Jun bought two coffees and handed one to Rohan. Finally, he spoke.

"I called you over because I have one question."

"Yes."

Was it about Yui? Or the dungeon? Or something else?

Rohan pondered various possibilities, waiting for Ichinose Jun’s question.

"..."

Ichinose Jun, who had been looking ahead without making eye contact, suddenly stared intently at Rohan.

The gaze of a strong individual pierced deeply.

Rohan felt as if everything about him was being penetrated and scrutinized.

Ichinose Jun, who had been staring silently, surprisingly wiped away his usual expression and showed a hint of emotion.

He frowned.

It was clear there was something bothering him, something he didn’t like about Rohan—something reminiscent of problems he himself had faced in the past.

Ichinose Jun spoke directly.

"Have you ever desperately prayed not to die, even once?"

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"...I don’t understand what you mean."

Rohan felt tense, wondering if Ichinose Jun was suggesting that he should pray right now.

"I’m talking about how you live your life. You can think of it in terms of battle if you prefer," Ichinose Jun clarified.

"In battle, I always aim to win and survive," Rohan replied.

"That’s a shallow and weak answer. Momo wouldn’t even smile at that," Ichinose Jun remarked.

"..."

Ichinose Jun’s words cut through in a way that felt unsettling, but it wasn’t discomfort. It felt like a part of him he hadn’t realized was exposed.

Rohan fell silent.

Seeing Rohan’s silence, Ichinose Jun started speaking again, more talkative than usual.

"I learned the value of life and family after meeting Momo and having Yui. Once something more precious than life itself came into my world, even old provocations started to affect me," Ichinose Jun said.

"..."

When he had only been wielding his sword, Ichinose Jun had closed his ears to whatever anyone said.

But now, it was different.

He couldn’t ignore any words that touched his family.

"I used to pass by a bakery in the early morning and smell the good scent of freshly baked bread. I always knew it was there, but now, when I smell it, it doesn’t just remind me of hunger—it makes me think of my family," Ichinose Jun said, his voice softening.

Rohan ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ understood what he meant.

"You’ve probably used gambling tactics, risking your life to cut down your enemies, haven’t you?" Ichinose Jun continued.

"..."

"You probably think that if you just kill the ones trying to dirty your path, the remaining people will become happy. That’s a bad mindset," Ichinose Jun said bluntly.

Rohan realized that if he died, Yui would be sad.

Before regret could take hold, he had to address the twisted path he might be walking down.

Life was precious, and that value included his own.

Rohan understood that Ichinose Jun was trying to make him realize something.

He knew it was probably an impolite thing to say, but he felt compelled to speak.

"...I think your explanation was a little rough," Rohan said.

Ichinose Jun, for the first time, slightly moved the corners of his mouth.

He gave a small, barely perceptible smile.

"I hear that a lot. Momo says I’m also clumsy with my actions," Ichinose Jun admitted.

"Still, I understand now. Thank you for the good advice," Rohan said.

"Change your mindset. Right now, you’re pretending to care about others, but all you’re doing is worrying them," Ichinose Jun replied.

"Yes!" Rohan replied, resolved.

"Death and self-sacrifice are like giving up. There are ways to defeat a powerful opponent that don’t rely on luck. Don’t just take the easy way out," Ichinose Jun said, turning his back.

He threw his empty coffee can into the trash and left without a sound.

"If you need to sort out your thoughts, do it properly and come back," Ichinose Jun said, leaving without another word.

Rohan felt that this was a perfect opportunity to take the next step.

He opened the shop.

And he bought.

[The Second Transcendence Shines.]