My Tribrid System: More than a Monster

Chapter 119

”The second war is coming, and it’s approaching faster than we can imagine.”

Van was visibly perplexed by the instructor’s grim declaration, causing him to raise an eyebrow in bewilderment.

Curiosity soon took hold of him, and he tentatively raised a hand.

”Uhm... question, sir. What exactly do you mean by that?”

Sony exhaled slowly through his nose as a small, weary smile curved across his face.

It was the kind of smile that suggested he had been carrying a heavy burden for far too long—the sort of expression that made it painfully obvious he was exhausted.

He seemed tired of the constant fighting, the perpetual state of war, and the lingering fear of an attack that could strike at any moment.

It was the kind of smile that made it seem as though he didn’t expect to survive if things took a turn for the worse.

And in truth, that was likely the case.

Sony wasn’t a meta-human, and he was acutely aware of that fact.

He was merely a normal man who could have easily passed for a college professor if the world hadn’t descended into this nightmare.

His head throbbed, and his heart ached with a dull, persistent pressure.

Though the military promised protection for him and his family, he knew deep down that such assurances would count for little when the situation truly became dire.

He considered himself lucky that his kin lived in Wall Steel—days away from the sudden calamity that had recently befallen Wall Rose.

But he couldn’t shake the gnawing sensation that the same disaster which struck Wall Rose months ago would eventually consume this place as well.

With a quiet, heavy sigh, he shook his head to dispel the dark thoughts wearing him down.

Then, he turned to face Van to address the boy’s question.

”The higher-ups don’t want to disclose anything about this to the general public yet. They are terrified of throwing the populace into a frantic frenzy of panic.

The moment fear ripples through humanity, the fragile confidence the Big Four have struggled to build will crumble instantly.

Humanity would become divided, and the Aberrants would certainly take advantage of that chaos.”

Sony paused, letting out a short, shaky laugh that lacked any real humor.

”... But unfortunately, I feel compelled to tell you all. I don’t know if the other instructor has shared this with their classes yet, but I need to inform you so you can adequately prepare yourselves when the time inevitably comes.”

— Okay, but what is the specific issue exactly?

”The incident that destroyed Wall Rose wasn’t a mere coincidence. The Aberrant attack was actually a calculated way to test the waters with us—to see exactly how we would respond to a coordinated assault. In short: that was a preview. A warning, a message intended to tell us to be ready. The second war could hit at any time or any day.”

Ray listened in a state of eerie calm, his mind flashing back to that horrific day—the day he lost everything to the Aberrant onslaught.

This time, however, he wasn’t dwelling on the personal loss of his family.

Instead, he was thinking back to the moment the gigantic Aberrant smashed through the protective dome of Wall Rose.

He vividly remembered the words the creature had spoken to them, delivered like a sentence of divine judgment.

’Humans. You all are too weak; therefore, you must be eradicated. This is just a brief demonstration. Enjoy.’

Those were the chilling words it had uttered, and now, what Sony was saying finally clicked into place for him.

’A second war, eh? But are they truly prepared for something of that magnitude?’

The rest of the class remained remarkably silent as they absorbed the weight of Sony’s words.

Contrary to what the man had expected, the students didn’t break out into hysterics or descend into a panic.

In fact, they stayed calm and collected, their young minds busy processing the gravity of the situation.

What the man didn’t realize was that many humans—even the Aspirants—had theorized this exact same scenario the very moment the news of the fall of Wall Rose reached their ears.

However, hearing the grim confirmation from an official staff member of the military surely hit differently, causing a profound silence to wash over them all.

Finally, for the first time since they had begun attending these homeroom sessions, Kai spoke up.

A specific question had been bothering him, and he went for it directly without even raising his hand.

”Why? Why are you actually revealing this to us? What is your ultimate aim? If this information is strictly meant to remain under wraps, why are you sharing it now with a bunch of kids?”

Sony lifted his head and cast a weary glance toward the blonde-haired boy.

A painful, bittersweet smile rested on his face.

”Because you all are the collective future of Alcatraz and humanity. Let me ask you a question; why did each of you join the Aspirant Corps in the first place?”

— I was forced by the decree passed down that all teens must attend.

— Same here.

— Me too.

— I attended because I wanted a clear path so I could eventually join the Vanguard Order.

— I wanted to join the Vanguard Order too.

— Me too.

— Same here.

— I don’t know about the rest of you, but I wanted to join the Iron Corps.

Comments and justifications were flying amongst the Aspirants, causing Sony to smile softly at the sudden spark of life in the room.

”Among all your varied words, I heard one sentence more than any other: ’to join the Vanguard Order.’”

He paused as he scanned the classroom for a few seconds, his gaze heavy.

”Joining the Vanguard Order requires immense courage, as they are perpetually stationed on the frontlines. They are the ones destined to die first if anything catastrophic occurs. Regarding your question,” he said, turning his full attention back to Kai.

”... I told you all this because the majority of you aspire to join the VO. To the younger generations, the Vanguard Order members are like the legendary heroes of our time.

But you don’t have time to bicker, fight, or even bully one another. Time is simply not on our side. Focus. Fight together and not against each other, because the Vanguard Order does not operate separately—they fight as a unified squad.

Learn to work together and cease any form of bullying. It won’t get you anywhere other than six feet below.”

’Hm? Did he already get the update about Ray’s fight with Berg?’ Van mused inwardly, eyeing the instructor.

”I just want to say one last thing: you have power? Turn it against the Aberrants instead of yourselves.

The fastest way to your grave is when you are fighting each other and a third party attacks. That is why, even with their immense power, the Big Four Legacies aren’t turning against one another.”

Ring—! Ring—! Ring—!

”That is the end of today’s class. Dismissed.”