Academy’s Undercover Professor-Chapter 259: Shadow of Dartangs (2)

KWAANG───!!!

A colossal explosion shook the heavens and earth, blowing the factory sky-high.

With a terrifying burst of flames, the shockwave of the blast scattered the debris of the factory in every direction.

Scarlet flames spread outward, and the aftermath reached even the surrounding area.

Even Hans, who had been observing the scene from a distance, couldn’t keep his composure when a violent gust smacked him in the face.

Seridan, caught completely unprepared, fell flat on her back.

“Argh.”

“W-what?”

Hans blinked in disbelief at the sheer absurdity of the situation.

He understood that Ludger had done something. He’d made it blatantly obvious. If he still didn’t get it, he’d have to be an idiot, not a man.

But the factory suddenly exploding like this—was akin to skipping several steps that should have logically occurred in between.

That’s how far beyond Hans’s understanding the current event was.

Staring blankly at the factory now engulfed in flames, Hans muttered to himself.

“Boss... what the hell did you do?”

“It’s my first time trying it, but it worked well.”

“Y-yeah? Wait, what exactly worked well...?”

“Magic. A spell I developed by chance while conducting research as James Moriarty.”

Ludger, while holding a professorship at Ordo University, had been researching topological mathematics.

He took it further, delving into spatial singularities, coordinates, and dimensionality.

Based on that research, Ludger succeeded in creating new magic.

The first was spatial movement via shadow.

By using the ever-present shadows as a medium, one could move through them to reach another location.

Of course, the spell was unfamiliar and consumed a great deal of mana, not to mention the disorienting dizziness that followed.

But once adapted, it was a spell revolutionary enough to upend the entire magical world.

And the second spell he developed was the one he had just demonstrated.

A coordinate designation spell that applied spatial movement to magic.

If one knew the coordinates of a given space, they could cast magic directly at that location.

“I calculated the coordinates of the area where the gunpowder was stored inside, then scattered a wide blast of flame around it.”

“Y-you’re insane. That was actually possible?!”

“Why the surprise now? That’s how the factory got blown to bits.”

“W-well yeah, I can see that. But that’s totally broken, isn’t it?”

“It’s not as convenient as it looks.”

If magic defenses were thoroughly in place, the spell would be completely ineffective.

If a defensive spell had been deployed, the use of mana to define coordinates would have been distorted, likely triggering the magic in a completely unintended location.

The mana could have even backfired, harming the caster instead.

“But those bastards focused solely on countering conventional weapons, so they weren’t prepared for magic at all.”

“......Well, that’s normal. Who would think to guard against something they don’t even know exists?”

Who could possibly predict that someone would trigger a spell from afar in midair?

“If the target had been moving in real time, it would’ve likely missed. If the goal was to steal the thing, this wouldn’t have been a usable method.”

Saying so, Ludger pulled out a mana potion from his inner coat and downed it.

“Also, using it once drains a ridiculous amount of mana.”

Moving through shadows had already required heavy mana consumption, and coordinate designation was just as intense.

What’s more, the spatial coordinates had to be calculated mentally on the spot. It only took a moment, but it left his head pounding.

“The farther the distance, the more mana it consumes, yet the spell’s power drops significantly. I was lucky the place had gunpowder that could be triggered by a small spark. Otherwise, I’d have had no way to do it.”

“Well......”

“It’s not that big of a deal.”

Ludger spoke as if it weren’t anything impressive, but Hans and Seridan couldn’t take his words at face value.

‘No, it totally is impressive.’

‘It’s not like anyone else can do it. That makes it impressive by default.’

Just then, a rat scurried up to Hans and delivered a message, making his expression stiffen.

“......Boss. Unexpected report just came in.”

“What is it?”

“Lieutenant General Geto is alive.”

Ludger’s eyebrow twitched at those words.

“He didn’t die in that explosion?”

“Yes. There’s apparently more facility underground. Looks like it extends pretty deep. He must’ve been down there when the explosion occurred, so he came out unscathed.”

“A secret passage, huh. Lucky bastard. So what is Lieutenant General Geto doing now?”

“Give me a moment.”

Hans closed his eyes.

About ten seconds passed before Hans opened them again and spoke.

“He can’t come up due to the explosion above, but he’s moving through an alternate exit. He’s accompanied by guards.”

“So there was another way out.”

Ludger tossed Hans a neutralizer.

Smack. Hans caught it one-handed and casually injected it into his forearm.

“What will you do?”

“What else?”

Ludger turned his back on the burning factory.

“I’ll chase him.”

* * *

The massive explosion at the factory site—

Firefighters and mages were still struggling to extinguish the last of the lingering flames.

Casey Selmore, who arrived at the scene, wore a noticeably grave expression as she surveyed the area.

‘James Moriarty told me to come to this city, and now the factory’s exploded. And from what I heard, this factory was supposed to be a normal automobile parts plant.’

And yet an explosion of this scale had occurred.

It hadn’t collapsed from external magic.

The debris had blasted outward.

The inside of the factory had been entirely consumed.

From those signs alone, it was clear the explosion had originated from inside.

‘The explosion was massive. The residue on the wreckage and the acrid smell of gunpowder—this was clearly caused by explosives.’

To blow up the entire factory like that... just how much gunpowder had been stored inside?

Casey started trying to estimate the amount, then shook her head.

‘Was it a military munitions factory or something?’

As she investigated the nearly extinguished ruins, Casey spotted something odd.

It was a minuscule gap—barely noticeable—but upon seeing it, she subtly stepped forward and tapped it with the tip of her foot so no one around her would notice.

‘A hidden passage. It’s collapsed under debris, so it’s not visible, but it leads downward.’

A sudden explosion and a secret passage hidden beneath the factory?

No matter how she looked at it, everything was suspicious.

“Detective. Have you found anything unusual?”

Casey wasn’t the only one investigating the scene.

City police approached her, asking if she’d found any clues.

She looked at them for a moment before shaking her head.

“No. Nothing at all.”

“I see. So it was just a careless accident, then.”

“Oh right—by the way, is there anyone who frequents this area?”

“Frequent visitors?”

The officers tilted their heads, unable to grasp her intent.

“We’re not sure. This area isn’t part of our patrol route.”

“Not part of the patrol route?”

“Well, uh... that’s something that’s been in place from higher-ups for a while. They told us there was no need to patrol this area since there’s nothing worth watching. Frankly, it made our jobs easier.”

Something about that struck Casey as wrong.

That this wasn’t a patrol zone didn’t seem suspicious by itself—but today’s events made it a problem.

‘A secretive factory said to make car parts but actually packed with gunpowder. A location police aren’t even monitoring.’

Casey recalled what she’d seen on her way here.

The factory’s interior was one thing—but even outside, among the exploded wreckage, something stood out.

‘A destroyed vehicle caught in the blast. That kind of vehicle shouldn’t be here.’

Though the flames had crushed the body, Casey could identify the model by its general shape.

‘A military truck. So... this whole incident is connected to the military?’

Could James Moriarty have ties to the military?

Or was there something else—something she didn’t yet know?

James Moriarty had told her to come to this city.

And on the very day she arrived, the incident occurred.

Could all of this really be coincidence?

‘James Moriarty... just what are you planning?’

Casey clenched her fists tightly as she pictured the man hiding somewhere in this city.

* * *

A dark night.

A private ballroom, where a very special gathering was taking place.

In a secret location known to no one else, a man slammed his fist on the table with a resounding thud, his face twisted with rage.

“Damn it! Just what kind of mismanagement lets a damn explosion happen?!”

Lieutenant General Geto, who had narrowly escaped the factory blast, couldn’t hide his seething fury.

The thought that he might have been caught in the explosion himself made it all the harder to calm his simmering wrath.

“It’s already a mess with the rare metal mining operations stirring up noise.”

“And now the factory producing special gunpowder—immune to Silence of Fire—has vanished? The losses are catastrophic.”

He wasn’t alone. Other men in military uniform sat around the table.

All of them were high-ranking generals, adorned with medals.

Like Geto, they supported colonial expansion and were openly pro-war.

“This is serious. The release of demi-human slaves might trigger international sanctions.”

“Not to mention excellent soldiers died in that factory blast. Damn it.”

“And the carefully prepared gunpowder—completely destroyed.”

“At least we still have the manufacturing method, but at this rate, our planned timeline will be pushed back significantly.”

Each man wore a grim expression.

They were suffering serious headaches over the recent events.

“What about the Iron Choir Project?”

“We haven’t received any reports since three days ago.”

“Could something have happened there as well?”

“No way.”

At that moment, Geto, still huffing angrily, opened his mouth again.

“This... this might not have been a simple accident.”

“Lieutenant General Geto. What are you implying?”

“At first I thought it was coincidence, but this changed my mind.”

He tossed a newspaper onto the table, which he had received earlier from one of his subordinates.

“Dean Gord... is dead?”

The article covered the death of Dean Gord of Ordo University.

Gord Himvel—officially known as a brilliant scholar and philosopher.

But in truth, he was a deranged old man who secretly aided in their experimental work.

“The killer is said to be that rising-star professor... James Moriarty.”

“They haven’t revealed the motive... but doesn’t it all strike you as odd?”

Silence fell over the table at Geto’s words.

Now that he’d said it, the others began to sense it too.

“Someone is targeting us. That much is certain.”

“Targeting us? You’re not saying... the Empire’s intelligence agency?”

“Black Ops? Are you suggesting they are moving?”

The men trembled at the thought.

Black Ops—agents raised by the Exilion Empire to carry out secret operations abroad.

If the Security Bureau’s Nightcrawler Knights handled internal affairs...

Black Ops handled threats across the continent, beyond the Empire’s borders.

Team Alpha, the notorious Black Ops unit from the past, had disappeared and activity had quieted.

But if they were resurfacing now, it wouldn’t be so strange.

“Then we’ll need to stay quiet for a while.”

“And with everything happening lately, those anti-war bastards are getting far too bold.”

“Tsk. I didn’t want to see things deteriorate like this. I wanted to push forward quickly.”

Though they all lamented the current state of affairs, none stepped forward to insist on action.

They spoke of acting for the greater good.

They said sacrifice was necessary.

They wouldn’t bat an eye if dozens—hundreds—died.

But none of that sacrifice would ever include themselves.

Even their cries of noble loss were nothing more than excuses—thinly veiled fuel drawn from the lives of others.

“In any case, we’ll need to lie low for a while.”

“Let’s. If things settle down, we can resume then.”

“In that case, let’s disperse. As always—none of us ever met here tonight.”

The men all nodded, pushing back their chairs to stand.

But just then, the ballroom doors burst open.

A violent gust of wind swept into the room.

“Who goes there?!”

No guard stationed outside would’ve flung the door open like that.

Which meant, at the very least, this was an outsider.

And outsiders didn’t simply stumble into this kind of place.

A guard standing in the corner of the room immediately aimed his gaze toward the door.

But the wide-open entrance revealed no one.

Only silence.

Which made it all the more unsettling.

“The men guarding the corridor—where the hell are they...?”

Startled by the absence of people who should have been there, the generals stiffened.

And then, the shadows beneath their feet moved.

Like a swarm of thorned vines, shadows surged upward—piercing the guards without mercy.

In an instant, death filled the room. The generals—just rising from their chairs—froze in horror.

“W-what... is this...?!”

“W-what the hell?!”

As panic gripped them, a ripple of darkness shimmered in midair.

And someone appeared—like a mirage solidifying into form.

A young man.

He wore a black Inverness coat.

Hair slicked back.

A golden monocle covering one eye.

A gentleman’s hat on his head.

And in one hand, a cane.

A man wholly out of place in this scene of carnage.

Yet none of the generals dared move.

They were overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the figure before them.

The man calmly dragged an empty chair from the roundtable and sat.

“W-who are you?”

Lieutenant General Geto ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) managed to speak, cold sweat trickling down his brow.

Through his monocle, the man cast a chilling gaze upon him and answered.

“James Moriarty.”

“......!”

There wasn’t a soul in the room who didn’t know that name.

He was the very man who had killed Dean Gord—an associate of theirs.