Evil Avalon

Chapter 174 Orders from Hachiryu(Eight Dragons)

(TL:By Rafael,valhallatls.blogspot.com)

With the final class of the day over, it should normally be time for homeroom, with our homeroom teacher, Mr. Murai, stepping up to the front. Instead, he remains seated on a chair pushed off to the side, quietly observing.

Standing in his place are Majima-kun, the acting leader of our Class E, and Satsuki.

“Alright, we’re taking a vote.”

“Will Class E become subordinates of the Eight Dragons and cooperate in the search for the Gates—or not?”

He asks the question while standing firm with his arms crossed, and Satsuki neatly summarizes his words on the whiteboard in elegant handwriting. The reason we’re holding a class meeting like this goes back to what happened during lunch break.

Information had spread over the net that various organizations were roaming the dungeons in search of “Gates,” causing chaos. It became a hot topic among our classmates.

The Gates are deeply connected to the much-talked-about “Tokyo Incident” and this morning’s news, “The Ten Rakshashas’ Assault.” More than that, they’re huge news that will have a major impact on future dungeon dives. Naturally, anyone who dives into dungeons can’t afford to be indifferent.

What caught everyone’s attention most was the rumor that “finding a Gate will earn you fame and a massive fortune.” Maybe you could make a name for yourself as an adventurer, or even strike it rich enough to live a carefree life forever. Laughing about such dreams, my classmates were about to head to the cafeteria—when suddenly, the classroom door was violently thrown open, and some rough-looking guys from Class D appeared with nasty grins.

The moment they saw us, they barked:

“Cooperate with the Gate search!”

Their objective was obvious: make Class E do the searching and then steal the credit. Class D had been relatively quiet lately, but perhaps their pride and confidence from advancing up from the Adventurer School’s middle division made them aggressive toward us in Class E.

However, Class E is no longer as powerless as we were when we first enrolled. Some of us have leveled up and gone through job changes, and we even have powerhouses like Satsuki—someone even Class D treats with respect.

Defiant voices rise from our classmates:

“Like hell we’ll do free labor.”

“Just wait for the next exam—we’ll be ready.”

Majima-kun steps forward at the front to protest as well, but—

“Hey, hey, don’t get the wrong idea.”

“This isn’t an order from us.”

“This is a directive issued to the entire student body by the Eight Dragons, you know?”

Invoking the name of the Eight Dragons, they let their magical pressure leak out, responding to Class E’s protests with outright intimidation. At the Adventurer School, there are many student-founded groups and clubs, but among them, the eight major factions with overwhelming influence are known collectively as the Eight Dragons.

What makes them especially troublesome is that all eight are backed by powerful noble families operating behind the scenes. No matter how strong Class E becomes, we’re still commoners. In this country, there’s an absolute rule that you don’t oppose the nobility. Faced with that reality, our classmates are left at a loss for words—but Majima-kun alone doesn’t flinch.

“You say the Eight Dragons, but which one exactly issued this order?”

“Even among them, only a few can command the entire student body.”

“Tremble in fear!”

“This directive came from the A-Class Alliance.”

“I hear the First Archery Club and the Weapons Research Club are already moving too.”

“You don’t have to obey if you don’t want to—but don’t say we didn’t warn you.”

The Class D students linger for a while, clearly enjoying our shaken reactions. When they grow bored, they spit out:

“We’ll bring you another directive later.”

Laughing, they leave the classroom.

The A-Class Alliance is a massive faction made up of most of the A Classes across all grades, second only to the student council in influence. It’s packed with nobles, and in the Explorer scene, it’s a nightmare of a faction—make an enemy of them, and you’ll be fighting battles all over the dungeons. It seems this Gate search order was issued with them at the center.

My classmates look around at one another, unable to decide what to do, their gazes wandering in uncertainty—

—and that’s how we ended up deciding to settle the matter in an after-school class meeting. According to the original plan, I should have been gathering information under the guise of training with Akagi-kun’s party by now. I want to protest that I don’t have time to be dragged into a Gate search.

That said, it was more than reasonable to expect that one of the Eight Dragons would take action. With an opportunity for profit and fame lying right in front of them, there was no way the nobles would just sit back and watch. What puzzled me was why the guys from Class D were acting so high and mighty, even though they were ultimately in the same position as us—being used to do the legwork.

Tilting my head in confusion, I turned my eyes to the massive whiteboard at the front of the classroom. Written there in bullet points were the merits and demerits of following the Eight Dragons’ directive.

The biggest advantage was obvious: avoiding unnecessary conflict with the Eight Dragons. Moreover, it seemed that multiple Dragons were involved this time, with directives circulating regardless of grade or class. If only Class E refused to comply under those circumstances, it wouldn’t be strange for others to see it as us picking a fight.

Not long ago, we had made an enemy of the First Swordsmanship Club, but if we rejected this directive, the backlash would be far harsher than that incident ever was.

On the other hand, the downside of complying was that even if we wandered through the dungeons and managed to find a Gate, all the credit would be stolen, leaving us with nothing but wasted effort. To begin with, countless raid clans—Ten Rakshashas included—were already scouring the dungeons. There was no realistic chance that mere high school students like us could find a Gate before them.

Besides, dungeons all over the world share the same structure. Once a Gate room is discovered somewhere and the information spreads, anyone can learn its location without lifting a finger. So part of me thought we should just wait… but then again, the first person to find a Gate might not be so honest as to share that information right away.

Dungeon intelligence can be monopolized and used as a bargaining chip to reap enormous profits. Even if the location of a Gate room eventually spreads across the world, it would likely take some time.

(Well, I already know where all the Gates are.)

I used Gates constantly back in Explorer, so I still remember the locations of every Gate room. Among them, the ones Class E could realistically search are limited to about three spots: the 5th floor, the DLC area on the 7th floor, and in front of Obaba’s shop on the 10th floor. Of course, I have no intention of telling anyone about those locations.

Either way, refusing to follow the Eight Dragons wasn’t a realistic option, and even if only on the surface, we had no choice but to cooperate. My classmates understood that the chances of their efforts paying off were slim, and no one looked particularly enthusiastic.

I, too, was fed up at the thought of having to devote a chunk of time to a pointless Gate search—when Akagi-kun, wearing a pasted-on refreshing smile, smoothly raised his hand and stood up.

“Excuse me, may I say something?”

Mr. Murai, who had been quietly listening, gave permission for him to speak.

“I apologize for the impertinent request, but if we do manage to find a Gate, wouldn’t it be possible for us to receive some kind of special reward?”

“I believe it would be beneficial for the Adventurer School as well.”

Even if a Gate were found, the credit would go not to Class E but to the Eight Dragons. Ultimately, however, the one who would manage the Gate information would be the Adventurer School itself. In other words, the biggest winners wouldn’t be the Eight Dragons, but the Adventurer School—or more precisely, the great nobles who serve as its board members.

What those nobles want to avoid most is large-scale anti-noble raid clans monopolizing Gate information and profits. That’s probably why the school has been turning a blind eye to the Eight Dragons issuing such sweeping directives.

Akagi-kun had likely read that far ahead and was essentially negotiating with Mr. Murai, a school staff member, saying, If we’re going to search seriously, give us a reward.

As our classmates looked on with hopeful eyes, Mr. Murai—without changing his expression at all—said something outrageous.

“I see… very well.”

“If you manage to discover a Gate, I will grant you the right to a ‘class promotion.’”

“Does that motivate you?”

“What!?”

“Huh!?”

He then added the following rules:

• If even a single Gate is found, the right to a class promotion will be granted.
• A-Class will receive a separate reward.
• Limited to individuals or groups of six or fewer.
• The deadline is the end of summer vacation.
• Cooperation with other classes or different grades is permitted.

The classmates’ faces stiffened in shock at the unexpected reward, and the room erupted into murmurs. Even Akagi-kun could only blink in surprise. Certainly, if the school could obtain Gate locations, it might not be unreasonable for them to offer incentives on that level… but there’s no way a single teacher would have the authority to grant such privileges. This must have been discussed within the Adventurer School beforehand.

In any case, the effect of the reward was tremendous. The heavy atmosphere that had filled the classroom moments ago vanished, replaced by excited chatter as everyone eagerly discussed plans to head into the dungeon.

In a typical year, it’s so difficult that fewer than ten students from Class E—who enter through the high school entrance exam—manage to be promoted to Class D over all three years of high school. And yet here we were, being given a chance not long after enrollment. It was no surprise everyone was fired up.

“Alright, let’s make it official.”

“Those who think we should follow the Eight Dragons, raise your hands.”

Honestly, there was no need to even ask, but Majima-kun proceeded with the vote as planned. The moment the majority of the class raised their hands, the motion passed before Satsuki even finished counting.

Still, the Ten Rakshashas—who had launched their operation earlier that morning—would surely flood the map in all directions with large numbers of high-level adventurers to search for Gate rooms. Beating an opponent like that to the discovery was completely unrealistic.

To begin with, I have no interest in class promotion and no desire to stand out. I want to keep my “pretend” participation in the Gate search to an absolute minimum. More importantly, I need to successfully infiltrate the protagonist’s party, assess their abilities and potential, and decide what to entrust to Kurosaki-san.

Whether Akagi-kun is someone who can withstand the curse-lifting event—

That alone is what truly worries me.

・・・・・・・・・・

A small room not far from the dungeon entrance. This would be today’s training spot.

I kick away a slime that keeps hopping around and tangling itself at my feet, then puff out my chest and raise my voice toward my newly formed party members. First impressions are everything. Gotta show them I’m fired up.

“Nice to meetcha—let’s do this!!”

My loud voice echoes down the corridor. Akagi-kun responds with a gentle smile, while Tachiki-kun, standing just behind him, peers at me with a cautious, observant gaze through his glasses. Pink-chan blinks in surprise at my sudden shout, and my childhood friend Kaworu quietly nods in welcome.

Most of our classmates rushed off to compete in the Gate search, but Akagi-kun and the others chose to prioritize a practice session for my sake. Even if it’s only for a short while, I can’t help but feel grateful that they accepted me so readily.

“Alright then, Kaworu—could you explain the plan?”

“Sure. Today, we’re planning to focus on tactical coordination, but—”

At Akagi-kun’s request, Kaworu steps forward and begins explaining. The plan was simply to confirm teamwork on the dungeon’s first floor, so practice weapons—rubber swords and protectors—were supposed to be enough. However, with the dungeon in such an uproar, I hurriedly grabbed a real sword rented from the school and a direwolf jacket instead.

Akagi-kun and Kaworu are wearing light armor reinforced with metal plates here and there. Tachiki-kun and Pink-chan are equipped with direwolf leather armor. It’s not bad gear for around level 7, but it’s far too flimsy to face the monsters from the curse-lifting quest. I might need to lend them some equipment.

While thinking about whether I have lighter spare gear, Kaworu sends me a file. I tap my wrist terminal to open it and see a map and monster data. Judging from the contents, it looks like information on the 7th-floor DLC area.

“Apparently, this newly discovered area can be accessed instantly using a Gate,”

“And since Sakurako is here, even if multiple undead link together, we can defeat them safely.”

“I think it’ll make for good practice.”

The main reason she chose the 7th-floor DLC area is that we can jump there directly via a Gate. In fact, classmates had already confirmed reaching the 7th floor, so the information is reliable.

Normally, walking to the 7th floor would take half a day, but with a Gate, we can go back and forth instantly. Even if trouble arises, we can immediately return to the surface, making it much safer. On top of that, Pink-chan can use healing magic that’s especially effective against undead, making the skeletons that spawn in the new area perfect practice targets. All the conditions line up nicely, Kaworu explains.

The 7th-floor DLC area happens to be the ruins where I once fought a deadly battle with Volgemut. It’s not exactly a trauma—but it’s hardly a fond memory either—so I haven’t been back since. I remember hearing that the Kinrankai planned to establish a base there, but after the Tokyo incident, I have no idea what became of that.

In short, today’s goal is to confirm our tactics so we can hunt effectively on the 7th floor. Skeletons have more power and speed than their appearance suggests, so even before gathering intel on the protagonist’s party, I need to make sure I can coordinate properly with everyone.

“I’m planning to take the tank role, but… um, you are—”

“Narumi Souta, level ‘5’!”

Akagi-kun, who volunteered to be the tank, looked at my face and seemed about to say something, but when it looked like my name wasn’t coming to him, I beat him to it with a self-introduction. I’d thought this before, but Akagi-kun really does seem bad at remembering people’s names and faces.

Next, Kaworu and Tachiki-kun will act as attackers, while Pink-chan serves as the healer and attacks only within safe limits. The tactic is explained as the “Everyone Surround and Beat It Down Operation.” If multiple undead link up or a crisis approaches, Pink-chan will use healing magic offensively to finish them off in a single blow.

“The key is to avoid stealing the skeleton’s attack target,”

“If you do pull aggro, hide behind Yuma immediately.”

“Got it!”

If I generate more hate than Akagi-kun, the skeleton will naturally turn on me. And at only level “5,” that would put me in serious danger. What matters most is matching everyone else’s damage output. Even if I do steal aggro, Kaworu’s telling me not to panic—just hide behind Akagi-kun’s back.

This kind of hate management (※1) is the absolute foundation of party tactics. If everyone attacks however they like, monsters will constantly switch targets and wander around, potentially collapsing the low-defense backline. To stabilize party hunting, how well the tank can lock down the monster is the key. Since Akagi-kun is tanking, I’ll be watching his performance closely.

When Akagi-kun steps in with his sword and lands the first blow, Kaworu and Tachiki-kun quickly take positions to surround the enemy. Pink-chan stays a short distance away, sword ready, keeping watch on the surroundings.

I carefully regulate my attacks to avoid spiking damage too high. Even if I hit too hard, I immediately move behind Akagi-kun as planned. In that case, Akagi-kun instantly activates a weapon skill to generate more hate and re-fix the target. If the skeleton still wavers, Pink-chan finishes it with healing magic. We repeat this routine several times.

Kaworu moves around as if testing my understanding of the tactics, firing off advice as she goes.

“Damage control comes down to feel, but don’t hold back too much,”

“Yuma should be able to lock the target properly anyway.”

“…Still, Narumi, for someone joining us for the first time, your movements look very refined.”

“Is that thanks to training under Nitta and Omiya?”

While mixing in side hops that jiggle my belly fat and swinging my sword at just the right timing, Tachiki-kun watches me and says I’m “good.” All I’m really doing is taking turns hitting, so I don’t think it’s anything special—but being praised still feels nice.

That said, today’s practice is meant to confirm whether the newcomer—me—can keep up. If I can move well enough without causing problems, there’s not much point in continuing practice.

And if there’s time to spare, the answer is obvious.

・・・・・・・・・・

—Dungeon 1st Floor, new area: the Gate room.

We’re here at the newly discovered Gate room on the dungeon’s first floor, preparing to head to the 7th-floor DLC area. It’s several times larger than a classroom, so it’s not cramped—but even before entering, adventurers are lined up, and the place is extremely crowded.

I came searching for this location shortly after I first started dungeon diving, but never managed to reach it. That suggests some form of perception interference was affecting even me as a player. At the same time, there could still be other areas under similar interference, only deepening the dungeon’s mysteries.

Twelve magic circles are carved into the walls of the Gate room, all glowing and operating at full capacity. Even though around ten people at a time jump into the purple light, adventurers keep arriving one after another, showing no sign of the congestion easing.

But that works in our favor.

A Gate won’t open unless magical registration has been completed at the destination Gate room. None of us—including me—have registered magic on the 7th floor, so I was wondering how we’d get access. But as it turns out, the Gate to the 7th floor is constantly open. That means we can slip in without hesitation.

While waiting our turn and listening to Akagi-kun and the others chatting casually, someone pokes my back.

I turn around to see who it is—

“How are you feeling today, senpai…?”

A beautiful girl in the Adventurer School uniform tilts her head slightly and smiles at me.

(※1) Hate Management
When you attack or interfere with a monster, hostility—hate—builds up. Monsters prioritize attacking players with higher hate, so during party hunts, it’s essential to manage hate carefully to keep enemies from targeting the backline.

TL Note- Starting 2026 with a BANG.

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