Chapter 80: Boundary of Life and Death (Part 1)

The Fifth Day Since Shirone’s Death

By the fifth day after Shirone’s presumed death, the students had begun to regain their memories. The younger ones, in particular, were confused and disoriented. However, since they were all gifted individuals with stronger mental resilience than average people, the psychological aftermath was not as severe as expected.

But the real problems were only beginning.

The incident where monsters took over the school had exposed critical weaknesses in the academy’s security system. This was especially troubling given that the school operated a dormitory system, where student safety was supposed to be a top priority under academy regulations.

The biggest issue, however, was the loss of student lives—especially the death of Shirone Ariane, one of the school’s brightest and most promising talents.

Despite this, Shirone had been placed in the infirmary, not the morgue—an unusual decision made at the request of Iruki and Neid. While common sense dictated that a funeral should already have been held, the faculty found themselves in a state of uncertainty and hesitation.

The student council hadn’t taken steps to assign responsibility yet, primarily because Shirone’s death hadn’t been officially confirmed. In effect, it seemed like the administration was trying to buy time—deliberately blurring the situation to avoid accountability by treating Shirone as if he were still in a liminal state, neither dead nor alive.

Some teachers were deeply uncomfortable with this tactic. Many had gathered in the staff conference room, arguing urgently over what to do next.

“We need to hold Shirone’s funeral immediately,” one teacher insisted. “His parents deserve to know. If we delay any longer, the school’s reputation will suffer even more in the long run.”

“It’s not a simple decision,” another replied. “News of a student’s death will create a massive scandal. We could lose everything we’ve worked so hard to build.”

“But are we going to lie and pretend that a dead student is still alive? People will find out eventually! The school needs to take a moral stance before it’s too late. This isn’t just about reputation—if we keep hiding the truth, the academy might be forced to shut down.”