The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL] Chapter 1326: Apex Black

An impatient man by nature, Jibb clearly didn’t want to spend any longer than necessary inside this stinking hole. Anyone who proved even slightly too slow received either a kick or a violent shove toward the corridor, while the rest hurried along before they could attract his attention.

Eventually, he reached the far corner of the cell and stopped in front of the young girl still clinging desperately to her mother.

Jibb scoffed under his breath.

Just like everyone else, he’d assumed the woman was probably dead, or at least close enough that it wouldn’t make much difference.

Disposing of bodies had always been annoying, but out here in the middle of bumfuck nowhere?

It wasn’t just fucking annoying.

It was downright impossible.

They were already extremely short-handed, and somehow, the new guys sent in as backup had managed to be even more obnoxious than they were useless.

And yet, they still strutted around like they were such big shots.

Jibb knew better.

They hadn’t always been like that. The only reason those bastards could throw their weight around now was because they’d been allowed to have

If those insane leaders had even half a brain, they would’ve invested in someone like him instead. He could’ve done far more with that kind of opportunity.

But no.

Instead of being part of the group whose only job seemed to be showing off, was stuck down here dealing with this shit.

Annoyed that the task had apparently fallen to him, Jibb bent down and roughly grabbed the limp woman by the shoulder, only to find the child immediately wrapping her small body around her mother even tighter.

He had absolutely no patience for such tender games.

"Move it, kid, or I’m pulling you off by force!" he barked, raising one heavy boot threateningly.

The child immediately shrieked in distress and buried her face against her mother’s neck, refusing to let go.

She’d hoped her mother would get better after taking that tiny round thing, but even now, she still hadn’t opened her eyes.

Still...

Her mother was breathing.

She was still breathing, and as far as the terrified little girl was concerned, that was the most important thing in the world right now!

But what was she supposed to do?!

She couldn’t let these people take her mother away. If her mother couldn’t stand up and walk out of the cell on her own, those evil monsters would assume she was dead and toss her into the disposal chute!

The girl’s terrified cries echoed throughout the dim cell block as she desperately held on.

Unable to watch any longer, another frail female detainee who’d spent most of the morning pitying the child, convinced that her poor mother hadn’t made it through the night, suddenly lunged forward.

She barely managed to put herself between them before Jibb’s heavy palm came swinging down toward the weeping child.

But before the blow could land, a wet, ragged cough suddenly broke through the tension.

"...!"

The little girl gasped.

Something had moved beneath her.

Jibb’s hand stopped in midair as his expression went completely blank, his mouth slowly falling open while he stared at the woman lying on the floor.

How the hell was that woman still

__

Apex Black.

To those who’d already experienced its benefits, it could easily be described as a game changer. A revelation of their birthright, or perhaps even a miracle.

Of course, the people forced to risk their lives manufacturing the substance didn’t even know what it was officially called. To them, it was simply poison in nearly every sense of the word.

But to one particular man currently looking upon his most successful brainchild, Apex Black was nothing more than a tool.

A low, melodic hum drifted through the sleek, dimly lit private chamber, only to abruptly cease the moment the door slid open.

"Your Highness."

Bram stepped inside and bowed his head with absolute respect.

Prince Eren remained seated in his plush armchair, his expression giving little indication of which of his increasingly unpredictable moods he was currently in. Without even turning his head, the Prince simply waved one slender hand, signaling for his aide to begin.

Bram immediately tapped his terminal.

Several holographic displays appeared around them like floating windows, each showing different feeds, reports, and streams of constantly updating data. Maintaining his usual stable, emotionless facade, the Elven aide began his report.

"First, allow me to congratulate you, Your Highness. Demand for the product has been explosive, especially after implementing your strategy," Bram said smoothly.

"However, we’re currently in desperate need of additional manpower. Compared to when we were still manufacturing the incense burners, the turnover rate has increased significantly due to the greater amount of direct contact required during production."

He adjusted one of the holographic displays before continuing.

"Unfortunately, as we’ve already discovered, automated machinery doesn’t fare much better. During the manufacturing process, the materials cause enough corrosion that any machinery we use would require replacement almost immediately."

Eren remained quiet, appearing almost absentminded as his gaze moved from one projected window to another. Yet judging by the occasional narrowing of his eyes, he hadn’t missed a single word.

"Keep the same production quotas," he finally said with chilling calm. "If necessary, scour the outlying planets for more recruits."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Bram had already expected as much.

"As for client satisfaction, the results are proceeding exactly as you predicted. We already have desperate return customers asking when the next shipment of cigarettes will become available. They’re reporting staggering improvements in their spiritual abilities, with some tested ranks increasing by as much as two levels after prolonged use."

A slight pause followed before Bram added, "Safe to say, they’re obsessed, Your Highness."

"Mmmmn..."

Eren nodded slowly before finally turning his attention fully toward his aide.

"And those who completed the rounds?"

At that, Bram pulled up another cluster of holographic windows showing several different beings confined inside individual observation rooms.

Some displayed relatively mild symptoms of withdrawal, their bodies trembling as they paced restlessly around their enclosures. Others were in considerably worse condition, violently thrashing against the floors and walls as though they were trying to crawl out of their own skin.

Those severe cases finally seemed to capture Eren’s interest.

Because although the subjects themselves were standing, sitting, or lying in various states of distress, they weren’t what truly captured the Prince’s attention.

It was what surrounded them.

The floors, walls, and even parts of the ceilings were practically dripping with thick, corrupted goo.

Eren’s lips slowly curled upward into a genuine smile.

Bram did his best not to look directly at his employer’s face.

Prince Eren had been eccentric for quite some time now, but even Bram found something deeply unnerving about seeing him like this. There was still one critical piece of information he needed to deliver, however, so the aide quietly steeled himself before continuing.

"Your Highness, regarding the test group you sent to that planet... I’ve received confirmation that they’re already in position."

That immediately caught Eren’s attention.

"What would you have them do next?" Bram asked.

The Elven Prince cocked his head slightly, his eyes shining with unbridled excitement and a kind of twisted amusement that made Bram’s stomach tighten.

"Exactly as they’ve been ordered," Eren replied. "Have them test their abilities against the targets. What better way could there be to gauge the effectiveness?"

"I see. Understood, Your Highness. I’ll see to it that they begin as soon as possible."

Bram gave another respectful bow before turning toward the exit.

He’d almost reached the door when Eren’s voice stopped him.

"Oh, and Bram."

The aide immediately stilled.

"Clean out that facility," Eren added casually, as though the thought had only just occurred to him. "But if that isn’t possible, simply get rid of all traces."

A faint smile remained on his face as his gaze returned to the holographic displays.

"We can’t have them ruining this venture, after all, can we?"

Bram’s knees trembled slightly beneath his trousers.

He allowed himself one silent moment to steady them before finally looking back over his shoulder.

"Yes, Your Highness."