Chapter 51: Ch 51: Monster Chase

"Where are those darn guards when you need them? Usually, they come running even when you don’t want them to."

Riku complained, and Noah had to agree with him.

The lack of agency on the academy’s part was making it seem like a deliberate trap even more, but Noah had no time to think about it when his life was on the line.

"First, let’s get out of here. I will grab the kid, so let’s start running-"

Riku tried to pick up the esper, but it was hard for him. For some reason, the body in front of him felt too heavy, and Noah noticed it.

There were various reasons for this, but they did not have time to figure out what it was.

"Darn it! This stupid idiot must have an esper-repelling charm or something. I cannot drag him out. Should we leave him here? I bet he’ll be fine."

Riku’s proposal made sense, and Noah almost agreed with him before realizing that if he did that, then the academy would have a justification to expel him. So, as much as he wanted to leave this jerk here, he had no choice but to save him.

"I don’t want to leave anyone behind to die. For now, I will grab him. Let’s go."

Noah told Riku as he put the unconscious esper on his back and began to drag him around.

The esper was heavy, and no normal guide would have been able to carry him out. But Noah was not a normal guide anymore. He had gotten so many enhancers in the lab that he might be physically closer to an esper in strength.

He could tell that Riku was getting suspicious, but he was going to pin this all on adrenaline later.

The monster finally broke through the wall and came after them, which made Riku curse even more.

"Hey, kid, we need to pick up the pace. I will start the alarm and the emergency defence system. But I doubt it will hold the monster back for long."

Riku warned, and Noah nodded before he carefully followed behind the elder esper. They walked through the narrow corridors while the loud noise of the monster kept echoing behind them.

"Hahaha, did I tell you that I was never good with horror games? I was actually so bad at them that I faint every time I play one. So let’s not think of this as a horror game but a pleasant slice-of-life one..."

Riku muttered unconsciously in order to keep himself mentally steady.

Noah felt sorry for the doctor who was stuck in this situation with him, but he kept walking without saying anything else.

As they walked, they finally saw the outside, and Riku let out a sigh of relief.

"We are out-"

But the monster decided to crash into the front of the medical building, caving it in. They were fully trapped inside.

"Darn it! Those pests are not picking up my emergency call either. This academy intends to kill us!"

Riku complained, and Noah was in agreement. But still, he did not think they would kill this esper on his back as well.

ring

"Is that...a phone ringing? Whose?"

Riku asked, and Noah looked at his pocket to notice that it was his phone. He could not believe that he had forgotten all about his phone.

Had the situation truly been so dire that it made Noah forget about his own phone?

"Hurry up and call for help! Otherwise, we will remain stuck here for who knows how long."

Riku was panicking, but was it necessary for him to grab Noah’s shoulder and shake him like this? Noah did not think so, but he complied with the doctor for now.

He picked up the call, and before he could even greet Daniel, he heard a panicked voice.

"Noah, where are you and what are you doing? Why did it take this long to pick up the call...what is that noise?"

The other guide asked, and Noah felt conflicted about whether he should tell Daniel or not.

Telling Daniel what was happening would make the other guide concerned, and he might come to take a look. As a result, Alan would likely come as well, and he could easily take care of this monster.

But Alan and Daniel were not on the same terms as they were in the original story. Would Alan even come?

What if Daniel decided to come alone and something happened to him? Then the original story would never start, and the world would end. Moreover, Noah’s freedom would never be possible to achieve, and he would have to go back to the labs and then-

’Should I...just die right now? Then I won’t have to make all these decisions-’

buzz

[Thoughts perimeter not permitted. Forceful mentality change will be initiated. The host is being asked to comply with these changes.]

slap

"Hey, kid, stop zoning out. Do you want to die?"

Riku slapped Noah, and he snapped out of his daze. He had no idea what had taken over him, but he was thankful for Riku’s interference.

Sometimes, he just zoned out and went to a place he called a blank zone. He was not able to recall what happened to him during that time, but he could tell that he did not like it.

It was disorienting, and it made him feel dizzy as well.

"Noah-"

The urgent voice called out to him, and he snapped out of his daze and looked at his phone and then outside.

Right, he was still talking to Daniel, and he needed to give him an answer as soon as possible...

"Daniel, call Alan and tell him that I need help. Do not come here alone because it’s dangerous. If possible, get the teachers involved as well. There is a monster loose in the medical wing."

Noah told the other guide, who let out a gasp and then cursed.

"What the fuck-! I understand. I will get the teachers involved...and as much as I don’t want to, I guess I will also get Alan involved in this."

Good! This was good! Daniel was finally listening to him, and this situation would be resolved soon.