《Villain Takes Over The Academy》 Chapter 1 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 1 I, like everyone else, always dreamed of being the hero of the game. Especially since my real life was far from heroic. The game I yed, ''Military Chronicle,'' was set in a world where 20% of humanity had transformed into monstrous viins due to an unidentified alien wave. Tobat these viins, humanity had developed war machines called ''Military Units,'' and yers would take on the role of one of these units, fighting on the frontlines. The world of ''Military Chronicle'' was a ce where all the myths and legends we know were recorded as historical facts. Because of this, magic and martial arts had been passed down from ancient civilizations, and these ''Military Units'' used these powers to fight the viins. I was drawn to the game''s unique setting and the idea of being the protagonist on the battlefield, so I started ying without much thought. And without much thought, I left a singlement. It went something like this: ''I think they made this game in the toilet. I can''t tell if they made a game or just took a crap. What a piece of shit game. Rating: 1/5.'' I was so frustrated because I kept dying instead of being the hero. It was obvious that the developers had intentionally increased the difficulty to sell more in-game items. But looking back now, I think thatment was a mistake. Because the very night I left thatment, I found myself transported into the game... [You have joined the battle as a yer in Military Chronicle.] [The ''Blood Demon'' trait has awakened within you.] [A quest has arrived.] [Main Quest: Survive until the end of the story.] At first, I had no idea what was going on, but since the goal was simply to survive, I tried my best. It didn''t seem too difficult; all I had to do was stay alive. But I had no idea how hard it would actually be. "You disgusting monster! Just die already!" CRASH-! A sh of light erupted from the Military Unit''s de, and my body and head were severed. "Finally, the ''Blood Demon'' is down!" "As expected of one of the ''High Society''s'' Four Evils, he was a formidable opponent." "Formidable? He''s just a filthy monster! Ugh, spit!" The Seven Heroes, humanity''s strongest military unit, spat on my corpse as they walked away. I could hear theirughter as my consciousness faded. ''I''m dead again.'' I couldn''t even remember how many times I had died. Despite the quest telling me to survive, I kept dying at the hands of the Military Units in this cursed game. Of course I did. I was the viin. For some reason, instead of being a Military Unit, I had been thrown into this hellish game as a viin. Cursed with endless restarts, I was forced to start over from the beginning every time I died. ''How am I supposed to survive with a crappy trait like this?'' The viin I had been turned into, the ''Blood Demon,'' was a kind of vampire who lived by sucking human blood. As a one-time mid-boss, I was supposed to provide experience points to the early-game Military Unit trainees and then quickly be eliminated. I was a weak viin, so I had to rely on illusions and transformation spells to survive. And to make things even harder, I had to feed on human blood regrly or I would die. During my first ythrough, I was brutally murdered by the trainees. In my second and third ythroughs, I tried to fight back, but even with increased power, I couldn''t defeat the trainee cadets as a low-level ''Blood Demon''. It took me 20 deaths to realize that.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ''So I came up with a different n.'' My new n was to avoid the trainees from the very beginning. If I couldn''t win, I would just dodge. After countless deaths, I finally found a way to avoid the early-stage military cadets and buy myself enough time to grow stronger. I considered the possibility of simply hiding until the story reached its climax, but... ¡®There''s no way that''s possible in this game.¡¯ ¡®Military Chronicle¡¯ is a game with dozens, even hundreds, of branching paths depending on the yer''s choices. Most of these branches lead to a story where the Seven Heroes eliminate all the viins before the final chapter. Toplete the quest to survive until the end, I had no choice but to stop the Seven Heroes myself. That''s why I nned to join the ¡®High Society,¡¯ a powerful viin organization. ¡®I thought I could stop them there.¡¯ ording to my calctions, that should have worked. By bing one of the ¡®Four Evils,¡¯ the powerful viin leaders of the High Society, andmanding my own viin army, I thought I could defeat the Seven Heroes. But for some reason, they always seemed to be stronger than I had anticipated. I had repeated the ¡®Four Evils¡¯ route dozens of times, but I never managed to survive. Thinking something was wrong, I tried switching viin allies. I tried learning different abilities. I even tried assassinating the future Seven Heroes in advance... No matter what I did, the results were always the same. The Seven Heroes were always born, and I always died at their hands. Just like today. ¡®My head hurts.¡¯ Even as my neck was severed, my head throbbed. Since the moment I entered this game, all I''ve done is obsess over survival. 482 years in training. 175,930 days, if you count them. 4,222,320 hours... I''ve tried everything, considered every possibility, but no matter what I do, I can''t escape death. Realizing that, I no longer wanted to do anything. I even wished I could just die and end it all. Beep- [You have failed toplete the main quest.] [Returning to the beginning. Starting ythrough 138.] But as if to say even that wish was too much, a message echoed in my mind, dragging me back to that dark ce. Back to where it all began. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 2 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 2 "Ugh..." I must have cked out for a moment. When I opened my eyes, I wasn''t in the deep, cavernousir of the High Society where I had died. A blue light faintly illuminated the ceiling. Scalpels, knives, saws, and blood samples lined the shelves. The stench of rotting flesh and blood assaulted my senses. This ce, surrounded by cold metal walls, was aboratory. My body was suspended from a pir in the center, my hands bound by iron chains. "...This ce again." The first time this happened, I waspletely taken aback, but now I felt nothing. I''d been through this so many times it felt like home. Beep- A familiar notification sounded in my head. And as usual, a message appeared before my eyes. [Your soul has been possessed by the viinous ''Blood Demon'' body.] [Due to the Blood Demon''s characteristics, you have awakened the ''Bloodsucking'' spell.] [The ''Bloodsucking'' spell allows you to absorb life force and essence from your target''s blood.] [Due to the Blood Demon''s characteristics, you have awakened the ''Polymorph'' spell.] [The wild instinctstent in your blood react to the ''Polymorph'' spell.] [¡®Bat¡¯ has been added to your Polymorph spell list.] [A main quest has arrived.] [Main Quest: Survive until the end of the story.] "...Dreadful." I closed my eyes tightly. This endless restart was no longer just tiresome; it was torture. Survive until the end of the story, huh? How? Even after bing the highest-ranking member of the world''srgest viin organization, I still died. "Just kill me already! You damn game!" I looked up at the ceiling of the emptyboratory and shouted in rage. I hoped that if there was a god who had thrown me into this abyss, they would listen. "...No, not a god. The one who brought me here..." I looked down at the magic circle drawn beneath me. This magic circle, emitting a soft glow, was a summoning circle. It was created to ce a soul from another dimension into the empty body of a ''Blood Demon'' viin. Unlike other viins, the ''Blood Demon'' had a unique origin. While ordinary viins suddenly developed viinous traits, the ''Blood Demon'' was an artificially created viin born in aboratory. "He''ll be here soon..." I unconsciously started counting. Exactly two minutes after I regained consciousness in thisboratory, he would appear. The damned bastard who made me a viin. 5, 4, 3, 2... CLANG- Theboratory door creaked open, and he entered. He was over six feet tall and slender. He wore a crisp ckb coat. His hair was slicked back. His deep-set eyes under his prominent cheekbones had apulsive look. He wore an unusual monocle... He was probably in his mid-twenties. The moment he saw me, he frowned, startled. I''d seen that expression so many times I could practically recite the wrinkles on his forehead. His first words would be... ''Finally, you''re here.'' "Finally, you''re here. What a troublesome soul you are." As if reading my mind, the man spat out those words. His eyes, fixed on me, held a mix of relief and mockery. ¡°You have no idea how much time I wasted trying to put you in that body. You should have been summoned obediently. Why were you so difficult, just a wandering soul?¡± The man, who looked like a mad scientist with his monocr sses, seemed quite stressed from all the trial and error. As soon as he saw me, he started to sneer. When I first arrived here, I had no idea what he was talking about, but now I understood why he was so irritable. His name was Do Jin-hak. Known as Professor D, he was a scientist and a professor at the Masterss, the world''s top military academy that produced the Seven Heroes. ¡®A professor in name only, he''s really a psychopath who kidnaps viins and conducts all sorts of experiments on them.¡¯ In ¡®Military Chronicle,¡¯ Professor D ys a crucial role in the story by significantly increasing the average abilities of the military units through various chimera research projects. He''s the reason why the Seven Heroes be so overwhelmingly powerful. ¡®So at first, I thought things would be easier if I killed him early on¡­¡¯ But even after killing Professor D, the story didn¡¯t unfold as I had expected. No matter what I did, another psychopathic scientist would appear to take his ce. This game must have some kind of protagonist buff. ¡®At this point, it¡¯s like the viins are just meant to die.¡¯ No matter what I did, the oue was always the same. The world was overwhelmingly biased against the viins. How could I possibly escape from a world like this...? ¡°Hmm, your eyes look like a rotten fish''s. Can¡¯t understand your situation, can you?¡± He spoke to me as if I were a worthless toy. ¡®I¡¯m not surprised.¡¯ He was famous for his sarcastic remarks, even in the game. It was hard to find anyone willing to be around him. But now, after 138 cycles... ¡®...He¡¯s still as rude as ever.¡¯ It was still irritating. I should be used to it by now, but I couldn¡¯t. Even after 1,380 cycles, his tone would still grate on me. Professor D had a twisted personality, and he was obsessed with conducting bizarre experiments. ¡®The experiment he¡¯s conducting now is to enhance viinous traits.¡¯ It was a kind of chimera research experiment where hebined different viins to artificially enhance their unique traits. However, the trait enhancement experiments had failed repeatedly in the past. The experimental viin''s mental state would copse, unable to withstand the experiment. ¡®So this is the solution he came up with: putting souls from other dimensions into the bodies of viins.¡¯ Since the viins'' mental states couldn''t withstand the experiment, he decided to summon powerful souls from other dimensions to inhabit the viins'' bodies. He calcted that souls from other dimensions would be able to withstand the side effects of the trait enhancement experiment. ¡®That''s how the chapter 1 mid-boss viin, the ¡®Blood Demon,¡¯ was born¡­¡¯ Professor D''s hypothesis was correct, and subsequently, the ¡®Blood Demon¡¯ underwent various modifications to enhance its traits, bing a test viin to challenge the yer and theirpanions. In the main storyline, the yer and theirpanions would encounter this enhanced viin for the first time, be surprised, but eventually defeat it. They would gradually uncover the clues about trait enhancement and eventually discover Professor D''s identity. ¡®I had barely managed to escape from theboratory to avoid that storyline¡­¡¯ However, there was no point in trying the route of joining the High Society and stopping the Seven Heroes. Nothing would change the fact that I would die no matter what. So what should I do now? ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Are you that devastated? To be trapped in the body of such a monster?¡± Professor D spoke to me with a look of curiosity. ¡®No wonder.¡¯ He had finally seeded in summoning a soul from another dimension. He must be thrilled to be able to conduct all sorts of experiments on me. But hearing those words so many times had filled me with nothing but rage. I snapped back, "What do you think it''s like for me?" "...What?" "I''ve died and been reborn 137 times, and I''m about to die again. Do you have any idea how pissed off that makes me?" "What are you talking about..." "Cut the crap and just give me the drug." "...What are you talking about?" I pointed at the shelf on the wall. "That blue vial. It''s the neural paralytic you prepare to give me when I''m summoned, right?" Professor D''s expression hardened as he looked at me. The curiosity in his eyes was gone. "...It''s as if you''ve seen into the future." "Yeah, I''ve told you this over a hundred times." "I''m sorry, but I''m not foolish enough to fall for such a trick. Time travel is a facy, and no existence with simr properties has ever been reported." "I''ve heard that over a hundred times too." When I finished speaking, Professor D''s face turned cold. He looked at me with the eyes of a technician who had found a serious defect in a product. "This is an unexpected error... Did I draw the summoning circle wrong? Or maybe the subject''s brain was damaged from the start." Do Jin-hak carefully examined my condition and muttered various spections to himself. Then, he sighed briefly and snapped his fingers. "Caesar, initiate the disposal process. Target: experimental subject P412." An AI voice responded from somewhere in theboratory. -Initiating disposal process for P412. Power output 5%... 13%... As the AI assistant carried out the order, an electric current began to flow through the iron chains binding my wrists. The disposal process meant exactly what it sounded like. It was a process of reducing the experimental subject to ashes with ultra-high voltage. It was a punishment for subjects deemed unrepairable. "To think I would have to discard a viinous experiment so quickly. It''s a shame, but there''s nothing I can do." As Do Jin-hak spoke coldly, the electric current flowing through my wrists grew stronger. My blood was boiling, and it was difficult to breathe. ¡®If I stay like this, I¡¯ll soon turn into ck ashes.¡¯ I could clearly see my future. I knew because I had gone through this disposal process countless times during the 138 cycles. ¡®But if I don¡¯t take that neural paralytic, this is the only way.¡¯ If I took Professor Do''s neural paralytic, I would be subjected to various modifications and be his obedient puppet. I would have no choice but to be used as a test subject for students. ¡®That''s why I found a way to avoid taking the neural paralytic.¡¯ And the way I found was to be a defective experiment. Do Jin-hak, with his perfectionist tendencies, would immediately dispose of any experimental subject that he deemed defective. He never imagined that it would be his own neck that would be on the line. "You''re quiet now." Professor Do looked at me with cynical eyes. "You said you saw the future, but you didn''t see this future, did you? A monster like you, daring to y games with me." I didn''t answer. I couldn''t. I had to grit my teeth and endure the increasing voltage if I wanted to stay conscious. ¡®Didn¡¯t see this future?¡¯ I had seen it more than enough. I had gone through this route dozens of times. I knew exactly how long this body could endure, and at what moment I had to move. -Power output 48%... 54%... 66%... -A fatal level of electric current is flowing through the experimental subject. -To prevent idents, please stay at least 5 meters away from the subject. Smoke began to seep from my body, and I could smell myself burning. Do Jin-hak pulled a cloth from his pocket, covered his nose, and took a few steps back, his expression twisted in disgust. One step, two steps... And on the third, he turned his back. ¡®Now''s my chance.¡¯ Enduring the electric shock as long as I could, I took advantage of the moment he turned and flung the chains binding my wrists. ZAP-! "Oof!" The chain, still attached to my wrist, wrapped around Do Jin-hak''s ankle, and the electric current surged through his body. Do Jin-hak let out a horrible scream. "Ughh, ughh! How, how did you... the chains...?" He couldn''t understand how the chains that bound my hands hade loose. ¡®He¡¯ll never guess. I¡¯ve restarted this part so many times to figure out how to break these chains.¡¯ Thanks to that, I had learned how to twist my fingers and wrists to slip out of the chains. I had used this exact method to escape theb and join the High Society in previous ythroughs. "Cough, cough... So, cough...! That means I''ve used this tried-and-true escape method over a hundred times." "Ugh..." Do Jin-hak, lying on the floor, finally realized that what I was saying wasn''t a lie. But it was toote. Even though his AI assistant had quickly cut off the power, the brief shock had paralyzed Do Jin-hak''s body. "Since even I, a viin, can barely withstand that level of electricity, it''s only natural for a human body to be paralyzed like that." Do Jin-hak red at me, his eyes wild. But he was powerless. The situation hadpletely reversed in an instant. Crack, crack- I popped the joints in my fingers and wrists, lost in thought. ¡®Now... what do I do now?¡¯ So far, I had simply followed the escape route I''d perfected through countless repetitions. In the past, I would escape theb as soon as I could, afraid of being caught. ¡®But just escaping won¡¯t solve anything.¡¯ Even after escaping hundreds of times and trying to stop the Seven Heroes, I had always failed. Maybe escaping wasn''t the answer. Perhaps I should stay in theb and find a way to prevent the birth of the Seven Heroes. But how could I do that? Just then, I heard a knock on theb door.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Professor Do? Are you in there?" A strange voice I had never heard before. It seemed that one of Do Jin-hak''s assistants hade to theb while I was deep in thought. ¡®I guess I got lost in thought.¡¯ Usually, I would escape as soon as I freed myself, but this time was different. Do Jin-hak was struggling to make some kind of distress call with his immobile mouth. I locked eyes with Do Jin-hak and held my breath, ready to kill anyone who dared to enter. But instead of opening the door, the assistant called out from outside in an urgent voice. "Professor Do? Is everything alright? The Masterss faculty just contacted me. They''ve finalized the date for the final interview for the new professor position that they offered you. They sent the details in an email, so you should take a look at it sometime today..." A new professor at the Masterss? That thought sparked something in my mind. ording to the timeline of ''Military Chronicle'', Do Jin-hak was about to take up a teaching position at the Masterss around the time the Blood Demon was summoned. ¡®That means no one at the academy knows Professor D personally.¡¯ Moreover, Do Jin-hak was known as a quirky psychopath with terrible social skills. Even if someone impersonated him, there would be no close acquaintances who would notice. Even if that someone was a viin, an enemy of the military. ¡®If I impersonate Do Jin-hak and take up the teaching position... I might be able to prevent the students from bing the Seven Heroes.¡¯ It was a new n that had suddenly popped into my head. It was a dangerous and absurd idea that I hadn''t considered before. Infiltrating the enemy''s territory and posing as a professor wouldn''t be easy. It might even be more difficult than bing one of the ''Four Evils'' of the High Society. ¡®But I have no other choice right now.¡¯ I couldn''t think of any other brilliant solutions, no matter how hard I tried. After dying 138 times, I needed to grasp at any straw. "Ugh... Uuugh..." I red at Do Jin-hak. He seemed to understand the meaning in my eyes and tried desperately to move. But his paralyzed body couldn''t move a millimeter. I slowly approached him and said, "I don''t know what you''ve done in the past. But I know exactly what you''re going to do." As a farewell, I opened my mouth and sank my fangs into his neck. [Casting ''Bloodsucking'' spell.] [Absorbing ''Essence of Do Jin-hak'' through the blood you''ve sucked.] [You have acquired 5% of ''Essence of Do Jin-hak''.] [''Do Jin-hak'' has been added to your Polymorph spell list.] [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 3 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 3 Subject: Wee, Professor Do Jin-hak. Dear Professor Do, First, thank you for applying to our academy¡¯s Deconstructionist faculty position. After reviewing your resume and papers, the academy is very positive about your appointment. As you know, Masterss has a long and distinguished history... (continued)... It will be a great opportunity. Since we are already familiar with your background, the final interview will be a simple one-on-one in-depth interview. There''s no need to be too burdened... (continued)... Anyway, we look forward to meeting you. Please see the attached file for details. Let''s meet a month from now. Sincerely, Vice Principal Oh Ji-sung Sent: January 30, 2034, 2:21 PM * * * In a room bathed in an almost blinding light, I sat at Do Jin-hak''s desk and read the email. As the email stated, Do Jin-hak was scheduled to interview for a professorship at Masterss next month. Of course, it wasn''t Professor Do Jin-hak who would be going. It would be me, the Blood Demon, disguised as him. "...It seems more usible than I thought." I looked around at my reflection in the room''s mirror. There was no trace of the viin, the Blood Demon, in the reflection; only Professor Do Jin-hak. I was currently using the Blood Demon''s basic spell, [Polymorph], to take on the appearance of Do Jin-hak. The Blood Demon, while not a particrly strong fighter, specialized in deceiving people with illusions and transformations. In the early stages, it was necessary to effectively use the Polymorph spell to absorb the blood of as many humans as possible. [Bloodsucking: By consuming a target''s blood, you can gain life force and obtain a portion of the target''s essence. As your characteristics strengthen, you gain more life force and more essence.] As the spell description stated, [Bloodsucking] was the most fundamental spell for the Blood Demon. Unlike other viins who became stronger through skill and experience, the Blood Demon became stronger by feeding on the blood of living humans, and if it didn''t consume blood regrly, it would gradually weaken and die. It was a game that was far too meticulous for my liking. "That''s probably why the Blood Demon has a spell like this." In the world of Military Chronicle, the Polymorph spell was a high-level spell that only military personnel who had reached a high level in the Transformation Department could use. The reason why the Blood Demon possessed such a high-level transformation spell from the beginning was simple: the legend of Drac, who could transform into a bat or wolf. Because the Blood Demon was based on Drac, it also had many penalties. "My abilities are debuffed in direct sunlight, garlic is poisonous to me, and I suffocate near churches..." There were many other penalties, but I was used to them because I had lived as a Blood Demon for so long. The problem was how well I could maintain the disguise of Professor Do Jin-hak at Masterss with these penalties. "With only 5% of Do Jin-hak''s essence, I''ll be discovered quickly." The essence obtained through the Bloodsucking spell included the target''s knowledge and abilities. Thanks to that, 5% of Professor Do Jin-hak''s knowledge was now in my head, but that wasn''t enough to pass the final interview, let alone teach or conduct research at Masterss. An academy filled with professors proficient in all sorts of magic and spells, as well as elite military cadets. To avoid being discovered in such a ce, I had to be Professor Do Jin-hak himself. "So I have to read all of these in the next month..." I looked up at the hundreds of books that filled Do Jin-hak''s study. The shelves were filled with textbooks and papers whose titles I couldn''t even begin to understand. "...Are all of these rted to the Deconstructionist Department?" Although I had lived as a viin for a long time, I knew little about the Deconstructionist Department. It was such a minor department that I rarely encountered any military personnel from it on the battlefield. "I know it''s a department created to identify the weaknesses of viins, but... I don''t know exactly what they teach. Do I have to read all of this to teach like Do Jin-hak?" As I muttered to myself while looking at the bookshelves, an unexpected voice answered. -Professor Do Jin-hak''s Deconstructionist curriculum is divided into three levels: basic, general, and advanced. The most important textbooks are the 23 volumes of ''What is Deconstruction?'', including volumes 1, 2, and 3. The voice came from theputer on the desk, belonging to Caesar, Do Jin-hak''s AI assistant. Given his arrogant personality, Do Jin-hak had a hard time finding assistants, so he had personally coded and created Caesar. Caesar, an AI with top-notch capabilities in the world of ''Military Chronicle'', yed a major role in Do Jin-hak''s research. ¡®So the AI recognizes mepletely as Do Jin-hak?¡¯ It wasn''t surprising, considering that my appearance, voice, and even DNA were 100% identical to Do Jin-hak''s thanks to the Polymorph spell. If that''s the case, there was no reason not to use it. "Caesar, I need a brief exnation of the Deconstructionist Department." As if expecting my request, Caesar immediately responded. -The Deconstructionist Department aims to understand the true nature of the world and explores the essence of things with an unbiased perspective. In military studies, it''s primarily used to identify the weaknesses of viins. I nodded slowly as I listened to Caesar''s exnation. ¡°It¡¯s true that the military personnel from the Deconstructionist Department were always difficult to deal with...¡± I recalled my experiences from previous ythroughs. Come to think of it, this might be a good opportunity. Since the setting suggests that the Deconstructionist Department is great at identifying weaknesses, it could be applied to military personnel as well. ¡°Caesar, what''s the most rmended introductory book for the Deconstructionist Department?¡± -The rmended introductory book for the Deconstructionist Department is ''Phenomena and Objects: Their Prejudices'', volumes 1 and 2, used as the teaching material for the first lecture of Professor Do Jin-hak''s ''What is Deconstruction?'' series. Phenomena and Objects, Phenomena and Objects... Ah, there it is. I easily found the book on the bookshelf arranged in alphabetical order. As I picked up the thick book and felt its weight, my eyes were met with a dense mass of tiny words. [...Thus, the limitations of human perception of the world are clear. Humans'' perception of the world through their senses is extremely limited, and it is merely a perception through physical and mental means. To free oneself from the errors of perception and achieve a synesthetic evolution of mind and body...(continued)...] It was abination of obscure words that seemed difficult to understand at first nce. As Caesar had said, the content was so abstract that it was hard to grasp. And to think that this was just an introductory book... ¡°I understand why it¡¯s called a minor department.¡± Now I understood why there were so few military personnel from the Deconstructionist Department on the battlefield. Every book on that shelf looked like a huge mountain. ¡°...But I can climb a mountain, right?¡± I steeled my resolve. After dying 137 times, I couldn''t give up on something like this. I focused my mind and began to read the book slowly from the beginning. Luckily, I had one thing that those who had given up on the Deconstructionist Department didn¡¯t have. Beep- [Reading a Deconstructionist book activates 5% of ''Do Jin-hak''s Essence''.] [You can now understand the content of the book more easily.] It was the essence of Do Jin-hak that I had obtained through the Bloodsucking spell. As I focused on the book, the dormant essence within me began to react. Even though it was only 5%, it was a great help to me now. ¡®As expected of a scientist who is called a genius, even with only 5% of his essence, myprehension has improved significantly.¡¯ As the difficult content began to make sense, I concentrated even harder on reading. Thebination of words. The connection between sentences. The author''s intention, feelings, and worries... It was like slowly piecing together a puzzle. I immersed myself in that sensation. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes... 1 hour, 2 hours, and 4 hours. Beep- [You have begun to understand "Phenomena and Objects: Their Prejudices".] [Your understanding of the Deconstructionist Department has increased.] [Your Deconstructionist skill has increased.] [Having understood a ''Intermediate'' level book, you sense a change in your intelligence.] [Your intelligence has increased.] "Phew... Good start." I stretched and took a sip of water before focusing on the book again. I had a month left. As the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I didn''t know how long I would survive this time, but I had to do everything I could. I couldn''t be trapped in this horrible world forever without any hope. * * * The Masterss campus was built on the highest point of a deep mountain in the northern part of Gyeonggido, South Korea. When the academy site was first selected, there was a reason. There were studies that suggested that the energy of the mountains and rivers would be greatly beneficial to the students. However, the real reason was simply because thend in that area was cheap. "I should have realized it back then. This academy is obsessed with money." Shin A-sol, an ace of the Defense Department and a member of the student council, spat out the words with disgust. "Even though Masterss is outside the jurisdiction of thew, it''s ridiculous to ask the student council to solve every incident that happens. We''re not private detectives." With her narrow eyes narrowed like a disgruntled cat, she was clearly dissatisfied. If you were to list the differences between Masterss and other educational institutions, it would fill dozens of A4 pages, but the most unique difference was that the academy was not subject to thew. [The International Military Association recognizes Masterss as an extraterritorial jurisdiction in order to foster an environment for cultivating elite talents to lead the anti-viin front.] This deration, jointly issued by the Military Association and the government when Masterss was established, clearly showed the academy¡¯s status. Because of this, Masterss had to have a system in ce to handle incidents that urred within the academy itself. Just like the student council today. "Military personnel must learn to deal with any incident skillfully. That''s the founder''s philosophy of this academy." Okamoto Daichi, another member of the student council, replied while flipping through a report. Known as a genius of the Alchemy Department, he was much faster than others at reading reports. At the front of the report was arge title: [Masterss Campus Theft Incident]. Okamoto smiled, a mix of admiration and mockery. "Is this the ninth time? Whoever it is, they''re amazing." A series of thefts had been urring on campus. The thefts, which had started even before the new semester began, had caused a stir in the academy. The stolen items ranged from expensive magic artifacts to misceneous items such as wallets, cell phones, designer bags, and clothes. "How can anyone manage to apprehend the thief who''s stolen so much from this academy without being caught?" Okamoto eximed in admiration. However, Shin A-sol disagreed. "They''re a pain in the ass. We have enough to do without this." Shin A-sol sighed heavily, her voice filled with annoyance. But despite herints, she carefully read the report. It was her nature to alwaysplete the tasks she was assigned.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om After reading the report, Shin A-sol said, "I think we have to assume that the perpetrator is someone inside the academy. It''s the only exnation for someone stealing so much without being caught in this academy." "So it''s a crime for money? The stolen items are all quite valuable, aren''t they?" Okamoto offered his own deduction, but Shin A-sol shook her head immediately. "I don''t think so. My gym clothes were also among the stolen items. I cherished those. I''ll make sure to beat whoever that perverted bastard is to a pulp if I ever catch them." But hearing that, Okamoto felt his theory was even more usible. "If they even stole your clothes, then it really must be for money, don''t you think?" "Why would you think that?" "Well, if it''s Shin A-sol''s beloved gym clothes, it''s probably the most valuable item among the stolen goods...Ahem, ahem." Feeling a murderous re, Okamoto quickly shut his mouth and pretended to cough. Shin A-sol''s right hand, usually resting on a shield designed to protect others, was now gripping it tightly. Just then, someone knocked on the door and entered. Okamoto, who had almost created a tense atmosphere with his words, was about to greet the person warmly but quickly scowled. The short-haired female student who entered was Seo Su-kyung. Known for her boyish appearance and exceptional swordsmanship, she was at the top of the Emission Department and also famous for being from one of the wealthiest families in the country. The problem was that the Seo family, to which Seo Su-kyung belonged, and the Okamoto family had been bitter enemies for generations. Because of a family feud that had been going on since the Japanese colonial period, sparks flew whenever the two met. "Seo Su-kyung,e and sit down." Shin A-sol quickly grabbed Seo Su-kyung, who was about to leave as soon as she saw Okamoto. Seo Su-kyung looked at Shin A-sol with obvious displeasure. "I told you not to call me when that guy is around." "It''s not like I had a choice. What else can I do when these are the only members I have?" Shin A-sol was actuallyining. Although the student council was responsible for handling incidents on campus, it was rare for all the members toe together. Everyone was too busy managing their own grades to care about trivial incidents like thefts. It was solely due to Shin A-sol''s strong sense of responsibility that she was dealing with this matter. Seo Su-kyung, who had known Shin A-sol for a long time, was well aware of her personality. Unable to ignore Shin A-sol, Seo Su-kyung sighed and reluctantly sat down. "So, what''s up?" "It''s about the theft. Haven''t you heard?" "What? Theft?" Seo Su-kyung raised an eyebrow, looking at the report. "Nine times? That''s impressive. To steal so much from this academy and not get caught? They''re quite skilled." "Oh,e on. You sound just like Okamoto." Seo Su-kyung immediately red at her. How dare she think the same thing as that guy. Okamoto was equally annoyed. "Who''s offended now? I''m the one who''s displeased." "Displeased? Why are you displeased just because you thought the same thing as me? You should be ttered." With a smug look on his face, Okamoto, who ranked fourth in the academy, looked at Seo Su-kyung. Seo Su-kyung was boiling inside. She wanted to smash that smug face of his into the concrete floor. As rivals, the heirs of the two families were always just one rank apart. Having been ranked fifth in the previous semester, Seo Su-kyung tried to maintain herposure and said calmly, "...Anyway, count me out of catching the thief. I don''t have time for that right now." "What do you mean? Is there something more important?" "Haven''t you heard? The Deconstructionist Department is being newly established at Masterss." Shin A-sol thought about it for a moment. She had vaguely heard that a new department was being established, but since it was an unpopr department, she had ignored it. "Why does that matter? New departments are starting and closing all the time." "This time is different. Rumor has it that the new professor for the Deconstructionist Department is none other than Professor D." When the name Professor D was mentioned, both Shin A-sol and Okamoto''s expressions changed. Their faces turned serious. "Professor D... isn''t that the strange professor from Japan who''s conducting chimera research?" "I heard he''s a crazy psychopath who doesn''t care if it''s a viin or a person as long as he can experiment on them..." The rumors about Professor D, Do Jin-hak, were already famous among students overseas. A mad scientist obsessed with experiments. A psychopath with an incredibly arrogant personality. A terrifying hybrid of sociopathic and psychopathic tendencies... There were various rumors about Professor D, and none of them were positive. To bring such a dangerous person here of all people. Shin A-sol spoke, unable toprehend. "Why bring someone like that as a new professor? What if something happens?" "I don''t know. Maybe the vice principal, who''s obsessed with money, got paid off again?" Seo Su-kyung shrugged, and Shin A-sol sighed. With the academy already gued by constant incidents, the arrival of a dangerous figure like Professor D was like pouring oil on a fire. "...We have to stop this." Shin A-sol made a firm decision. At this point, the theft case was no longer the main issue. Masterss, the world''s premier military training institution. She couldn''t just sit idly by and let someone as dangerous as Professor D enter this academy. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 4 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 4 "Now, go ahead and take a sip." The short, middle-aged man, whose stature belied his powerful position as the vice principal, held out a coffee cup as if it were a prized possession. ¡°I had this special blend brought in from Africa after hearing that Professor Do enjoys coffee.¡± I alternated my gaze between the dark liquid in the cup and the smiling man across from me. Dressed in a perfectly tailored, designer suit, Oh Ji-sung appeared to be nothing more than a short, fussy nouveau riche. But looks could be deceiving. He was the vice principal of Masterss. ¡°Of course, it would be a mistake to simply think of this as a fine cup of coffee.¡± Noticing my intense gaze, the vice principal grinned. ¡°There¡¯s a little secret to this coffee. I¡¯ve heard rumors that Professor Do can quickly identify anything, whether it¡¯s a viin or an object.¡± ¡°Are you saying I should analyze theposition of the coffee?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t poisoned it. As I said, this is just a simple test.¡± Although he called it a simple test, the vice principal¡¯s gaze was sharp and piercing. It was as if he was daring me to show off my supposed abilities. ¡®This guy must be desperate.¡¯ In the story of Military Chronicle, Vice Principal Oh Ji-sung was often portrayed as a viin who could potentially be an enemy, depending on the yer''s choices. He was a man who had risen to the position of vice principal through cunning and political maneuvering rather than any real abilities. Always feeling insecure about his position... ¡®That¡¯s probably why he brought Professor D to the academy after hearing about him.¡¯ Chimera research, which could significantly increase the abilities of soldiers. If that research was sessful, the vice principal, who had brought Do Jin-hak to the academy, would also see his position strengthened. So, he probably wanted to see for himself right now just what kind of abilities did Do Jin-hak really have? ¡°...Very well, then.¡± I picked up the coffee cup and pretended to savor the aroma, closing my eyes for a moment. I could feel the vice principal''s suspicious gaze burning into me, but I wasn''t worried. As soon as the scent of the coffee reached my olfactory cells, memories I didn''t know I had began to surface. To be precise, they were memories that Do Jin-hak had. ¡°This aroma... it¡¯s an Ethiopian single origin. The profile is chocte with citrus and cherry notes. Judging by the freshness of the crema, the beans must have been roasted this year.¡± ¡°...Is that all?¡± The vice principal looked somewhat disappointed. But what I had just said was something any coffee expert would know. Do Jin-hak''s knowledge was far beyond that. ¡°The beans have been gically modified to rearrange their base sequences. Thanks to that, they can grow at high altitudes while still having the tropical acidity, which gives it this deep vor.¡± ¡°Oh...! And, and what else?¡± Intrigued, the vice principal narrowed his eyes. I set the coffee cup down and said, ¡°That¡¯s it. There¡¯s no other secret to this coffee.¡± The vice principal looked surprised. Then, the corners of his mouth turned up into a satisfied smile. ¡°Correct. In fact, there is no secret to this coffee. I was just testing you." As expected. I had thought as much. In the story, the character Oh Ji-sung was known for his boastful nature. ¡°As expected of a master of the Deconstructionist Department. To analyze it so urately just by the aroma, your reputation is well-deserved.¡± Satisfied with my answer, the vice principal finally enjoyed his coffee. I smiled slightly, covering my mouth with the coffee cup. ¡®...Analyzed urately?¡¯ Of course. What I had just said was something Professor D would have said. Thanks to spending the past month fully utilizing the 5% of Do Jin-hak''s essence and reading dozens of books, I had significantly increased my Deconstructionist skills. If not, I wouldn''t even be able to tell if this coffee had been made with maggots or feces. After all, as a blood vampire, I couldn''t taste anything except blood. Beep- [You have passed the final interview.] [You have been appointed as a full-time professor at the Masterss Deconstructionist Department!] [The current status of the Deconstructionist Department is as follows:] [Number of students: 2 majors, 4 minors.] [Department ranking: 13th.] A message appeared after passing Oh Ji-sung¡¯s test. It was a message unlike any I had seen in previous ythroughs. ¡®The status of the Deconstructionist Department... Is this information only shown to yers who have taken on the role of professor?¡¯ For some reason, the [system] in this world recognized me as a yer. I was the only one who could see these messages, and the system would provide me with information and content relevant to my situation. ¡®Only two majors and four minors? Are there really that few students?¡¯ That was strange. As far as I could remember, the Deconstructionist Department hadn¡¯t had such a small student body. It was an unpopr department, but even so, this number was ridiculously low. ¡®Could this mean... that there''s some other plot point I''m unaware of?¡¯ This was my first time taking on the role of a professor, so there were probably settings I didn¡¯t know about. As if reading my mind, Oh Ji-sung nced at me over his coffee cup. He looked somewhat ufortable. It seemed like he had something to say. ¡°There seems to be a problem. Don¡¯t be hesitant. Just say it.¡± When I pointed this out, Oh Ji-sung looked startled, as if I had read his mind, before finally opening up.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing major, just one small issue.¡± ¡°What kind of issue?¡± ¡°I mean, of course, I know about Professor Do¡¯s abilities, but many others in this academy don¡¯t.¡± I see. I already knew that from the game. Given my knowledge of [Military Chronicle], I was aware that Professor D wasn¡¯t very popr at the academy. But the vice principal began to exin a background detail I hadn¡¯t known. ¡°Actually, many people opposed Professor Do¡¯s appointment. They argued that a department like the Deconstructionist Department would be of no use to the students.¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Not immediately. But if those people continue to cause trouble... I won¡¯t be able to cover for you forever.¡± Hearing the vice principal''s serious tone, I couldn''t help but be serious myself. In other words, I might lose my job at the academy. ¡®But that didn¡¯t happen in the game, did it?¡¯ Even after 137 ythroughs, Do Jin-hak had never been expelled from the academy. A new storyline was unfolding that I hadn''t experienced before, and I began to feel nervous. The vice principal continued. ¡°Currently, there are 13 departments at Masterss. Of these, the Deconstructionist Department has the least number of enrollees this semester.¡± ¡°Well, since this is the first time the Deconstructionist Department has been established, isn¡¯t that natural?¡± ¡°Not always. Even considering that it¡¯s a new department, the numbers are unusually low.¡± The vice principal''s expression turned serious. ¡°You must do whatever it takes to show people the value of the Deconstructionist Department this semester. If you can¡¯t, I won¡¯t be able to help you.¡± Beep- [A new main quest has arrived.] [Main Quest 2: The Vice Principal¡¯s Worry.] [Content: Oh Ji-sung is troubled by the low poprity of the Deconstructionist Department. Increase the status of the Deconstructionist Department and solve Oh Ji-sung¡¯s problem.] [Reward: Increase in Oh Ji-sung¡¯s favorability, maintenance of the Deconstructionist Department, increase in special attribute experience.] As soon as the vice principal finished speaking, a quest notification appeared. ¡®...So that¡¯s it.¡¯ Looking at the quest notification, I understood clearly. This was definitely a personal quest that Do Jin-hak had experienced in Masterss. In the main storyline, Do Jin-hak had solved the quest given to him by the vice principal and remained at the academy. ¡®...The problem is that I don¡¯t know how Do Jin-hak had solved the quest.¡¯ I thought I could simply impersonate Do Jin-hak, but... I was faced with an unexpected quest right from the start. How could I solve this? Suddenly, a loud noise came from the hallway below. I nced down and saw a group of students walking down the corridor. It was impressive how the other students quickly parted to make way for them. "Those are the student council members," The vice principal said with a satisfied expression. "They''re very popr in the academy. Wherever they go, students flock to them." Student council? I turned my gaze back down to them. The student council ys a pivotal role in the early stages of Military Chronicle. At the beginning of the game, yers typically aim to join the student council as one of their primary goals. "Keep an eye on those kids.Someone can join the student council only if they have top-notch grades. They''re basically the ultimate weapons of humanity, destined to lead the frontlines against future viins." The vice principal said, gazing at the student council members with a look of satisfaction, as if admiring precious jewels. I didn''t need him to exin. No one in this world knew the student council better than I did. Every detail ¨C their faces, their eyes, their gestures, their footsteps ¨C was etched vividly in my mind. "...Of course, I''ve died more than a hundred times trying to take them down." No matter what I did, those damned Seven Heroes always managed to kill me. * * * "Wow, look! It''s the student council!" "That''s Seo Su-kyung and Shin A-sol!" "No way, this is the first time I''ve seen them in person!" In the central hall of Masterss, whispers grew louder among the students as they passed by. Even though they were all students at the same academy, they looked at the student council members with a mix of awe and admiration, as if they were celebrities. In fact, some of the student council members were quite famous. Theirbat videos had millions of views, and their personal social media ounts had millions of followers. Beep, click, click, click- The new students desperately tried to capture the famous faces with their cameras. Of course, not all student council members enjoyed such fame. "Tch, how pathetic. You''d think a superstar had just arrived," Okamoto muttered, clearly annoyed by the constant clicking of cameras. Although he was a member of the student council, he was different from Shin A-sol and Seo Su-kyung. With his gloomy demeanor, he was less popr. Being overshadowed by the two of them wherever he went was incredibly frustrating for Okamoto. "Don''t you know that everyone here is apetitor? New students are so clueless." Seo Su-kyung whispered to Okamoto, just loud enough for him to hear. She seemed ustomed to this situation and even posed for the cameras. Okamoto found her artificial pose incredibly irritating. "You''re really enjoying this, aren''t you, Seo Su-kyung? Do you really think those kids are your fans? You''re delusional!" Okamoto spat out his words with as much venom as he could muster. "They''ll all turn on you someday. Just wait until they figure out how to knock you off your pedestal." There were only ten seats on the student council, and Okamoto knew that everyone was vying for them. He knew that while they were fawning over the student council members now, they were secretly jealous and waiting for an opportunity to take their ce. But Seo Su-kyung had a deeper understanding of human nature. "Of course they will. That''s why you have to show them clearly." "What?" "The reality, I mean. That we live in different worlds." Unlike Okamoto, who was always on guard against new students trying to take his ce, Seo Su-kyung didn''t consider them to be her rivals. A lion and a hyena don''tpete just because they live in the same jungle. In Seo Su-kyung''s philosophy, the world was a hierarchy, and the pyramidal system of Masterss was the perfect reflection of human nature. "Are you afraid that they''ll threaten your position someday? Then don''t give them any openings." If a lion doesn''t show its wounds, a hyena won''t dare attack. Seo Su-kyung had no intention of giving these new students any false hope. She wanted to remain an untouchable idol, someone they could never hope to surpass. That was how Seo Su-kyung, the heiress of the International Group and known as the "Sword Saint", had risen to the top of Masterss. Okamoto red at Seo Su-kyung. "Amazing. You can say something like that with a straight face..." In his eyes, Seo Su-kyung was someone who needed therapy. How could she make such backhandedments about her own fans while smiling? "Compared to you, she''s an angel," Okamoto muttered, looking at Shin A-sol. Shin A-sol was surrounded by new students as well, but the atmosphere was different. "Senior! I''m going to join the Emission Department this semester!" "Wow, really? Professor Kim Taekhee''s ss? What you should prepare for..." Shin A-sol was talking to the new students with a friendly smile, unlike Seo Su-kyung who seemed to view them as potential threats. ¡®Everyone at Masterss is arade and ally.¡¯ Seo Su-kyung scoffed at Shin A-sol''s naivete. In Seo Su-kyung''s eyes, Shin A-sol was too innocent for her own good. "Tch, that''s why I can''t stand her. She''s too soft." Seo Su-kyung believed that Shin A-sol was destined to get hurt one day. "Hey, isn''t that the vice principal?" As they walked down the hallway, someone pointed to the second-floor terrace. Sure enough, Vice Principal Oh Ji-sung was sitting at a table on the terrace, chatting with an unidentified man. "Why is the vice principal meeting someone at a cafe? He usually just drinks coffee from the vending machine." "If he''s going out of his way for someone, then that person must be pretty important. Do you know who it is?" The students were curious about the identity of the vice principal''s mysterious guest. As spections flew, someone gasped. "Wait... Could it be him? The new professor of the Deconstructionist Department?" "The Deconstructionist Department professor? You mean Professor D? Is that him?" A murmur spread among the students. Shin A-sol''s eyes narrowed as she looked up at the second-floor terrace. "That''s Professor D...?" As the dangerous figure finally appeared, Shin A-sol''s eyes filled with suspicion. She could hear the students'' whispers. "I heard he''s aplete psychopath from the things posted online..." "Me too. I heard he experimented on his own parents'' corpses to see if he could turn humans into viins." "I heard there''s a mountain of stolen viin corpses in his researchb..." "In Japan, he offered students A+ grades if they agreed to have viin organs transnted into them to create new abilities..." Given the numerous rumors surrounding him, a dark atmosphere quickly enveloped the students. It was only natural for heated discussions to ensue, ranging from whether or not they should take sses under Professor D to why he had been invited to the academy in the first ce. As Shin A-sol listened to the students, her expression darkened. "I can''t believe it. Someone like that is going to be our professor..." "I know, right? This is crazy." While agreeing with Shin A-sol, Seo Su-kyung nced at her friend. She could see the determination in Shin A-sol''s eyes to get rid of Professor D. It wasn''t just Shin A-sol. All the students, teachers, and everyone passing through the hallway looked at Professor D as if he were a monster. "...This is perfect. How could things turn out so well?" Seo Su-kyung couldn''t help but smile. A new professor with a terrible reputation. Students who were wary of the new professor. And Shin A-sol, who was determined to get rid of him... Everything was exactly as she had nned. ¡®Actually, I was the one who spread those rumors about Professor D.¡¯ Seo Su-kyung had known about Professor D for a while. She also knew that his Deconstructionist Department could be incredibly useful inbat. So, when she first heard that Professor D would be the new professor, she was overjoyed. ''It''s too difficult for most students to learn, but it can be a powerful weapon if you master it.'' She had always been interested in the Deconstructionist Department and nned to take it as a minor. She had even read a few of Professor D''s papers. But she had discovered a problem. ''It was much harder than I thought.'' The Deconstructionist Department was much more difficult than she had anticipated. However, as the ace of the Emission Department and the heiress of the International Group, she had to be the best at everything. ''I can''t afford to be at the bottom in any department, especially a minor one.'' She couldn''t bear the thought of being surpassed by Okamoto in any subject. ''That would be a nightmare.'' She needed a way to ensure she would be at the top of the Deconstructionist Department. And finding a way was easy. All she had to do was look into Professor D''s past and spread rumors about him. It was incredibly easy to turn someone into a viin with the International Group''s public rtions team. The rumors about Professor D that were circting around the academy were all created by her. ''So, Professor, why did you let so many rumors spread about yourself?'' Seo Su-kyung watched with satisfaction as Shin A-sol and the other students looked at the new professor with hostility. It was a pity that Professor D was bing a public enemy without even realizing it, but she didn''t care. In this academy, everyone was just a pawn. And she would do anything to reach the top of the pyramid. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 5 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 5 "Military Chronicle" is a game where you train military cadets¡ªyour "7 Heroes"¡ªto defeat the viin in a war. At first nce, it sounds like an RPG or RTS, but the developers officially categorized it as a "Full-Interaction Role-ying War Simtion Fantasy." A lot of people questioned this overly verbose genre name. The developers responded by saying, "Faced with amon enemy, how far can humanity unite? If you can''t gather as many powerful allies as possible, you won''t win the war against the viin!" If their goal was to grab attention, it worked. Curious about this bizarre game, many people started ying "Military Chronicle." Soon, those yers realized the developers weren''t exaggerating. Every aspect of the game was driven by an interactive system. A seemingly insignificant item found on the street could lead to a terrifyingly powerful rival. If you forgot someone''s birthday, a carefully cultivated ally might leave without a word. Every action had consequences. Even a simple act like drinking water required careful consideration. The problem was, no matter how much stress you went through training your character and making allies, you''d still be no match for the viins on the battlefield. Clearly, the difficulty was unbnced. Many gamersined, but the developers never released any bnce patches. They insisted it wasn''t the game''s fault, but the yers''ck of skill. "No wonder people hate it," I muttered. After my final professor interview, I sat in the professor''s office, lost in thought. "Military Chronicle" was clearly designed to be hated. 99% of the game reviews were filled with insults. "But why me?" Despite its difficulty, "Military Chronicle" was amercial sess, winning numerous GOTY awards. Itspelling characters, innovative systems, and immersive story made it a masterpiece, even with its extreme difficulty. Millions yed it, millions more left angryments. So why? Why me? Why was I cursed with this terrible fate? Sure, the game was insanely hard, and I did leave some angryments. And yes, thosements got the most likes. But this was an excessive punishment for simply leaving negative feedback. "And why are the military cadets so strong?" I grumbled, reading the student council roster on the academy website. That was my second question. The military cadets. "Military Chronicle" featured countlesspanion characters, including hidden ones. Those who weren''t chosen aspanions would be enemies or have their own unique storylines depending on the yer''s choices. Everypanion had their own background, personality, traits, and ambitions. But they all had one thing inmon: they could never reach the ending. No matter who you chose as apanion or what route you took, "Military Chronicle" was impossible to finish. Humans were simply too weakpared to the viins. "...But why me?" Unlike the original "Military Chronicle," the military cadets in this world were ridiculously strong. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om No matter how brilliant my strategy, they always seemed to have a plot armor boost, allowing them to ovee any obstacle and hunt me down. As if they wanted to show me, someone whoined about the game''s difficulty, how miserable the viins would be if humans were too powerful. "...But this time will be different." Instead of joining the viinous organization, I chose a new route: infiltrating the Masterss as a professor. I''ve sessfully infiltrated enemy territory. Now, the fate of the 7 Heroes was in my hands. Of course, I have no intention of creating the 7 Heroes. I''llpletely block that route. "First, I need to deal with this." Main Quest 2: Increase the status of the Deconstructionist Department. This was the primary mission assigned to me by the vice principal on my first day. It was the first hurdle I had to clear to execute my n at the academy. If the Deconstructionist Department was to be disbanded, I would undoubtedly be fired. "Status... How can I possibly improve it?" A solution didn''t immediately spring to mind. Undercover infiltration of the Masterss was an entirely new approach I had never attempted before. If I could only figure out how Professor D hadpleted this quest, it would be a huge help... "I know Do Jin-hak has a poor reputation among the students, but..." In the game''s storyline, Professor D was portrayed as a figure that students greatly disliked. Given his incredibly unlucky personality and the constant rumors surrounding him, it was no surprise. Despite this, he managed to remain at the academy without any significant issues. While there were many dangerous rumors about him, there was never any talk of Professor D being fired from the academy. "That means Professor D must have sessfullypleted the vice principal''s quest..." And he must have done it quickly and easily, without it being obvious in the storyline. What method had he used? * * * "I''ll figure that outter." Late at night. I wandered the academy grounds, studying the map. While I still didn''t know how Professor D hadpleted the vice principal''s quest, simply pondering it wouldn''t yield an answer. It was more important to focus on what I could do right now. [Today is a full moon night.] [Your special ability "Night n" is activated in response to the moon''s magic.] [All abilities and spell effects are increased by 20%.] A message appeared as I looked up at the night sky. In "Military Chronicle," the moon''s magic yed a significant role for certain viins. Nights like tonight, when the moon was at its fullest, were the best for blood demons. Although they would suffer a debuff under the sun... "Still,ing to the academy on the night of a full moon was quite lucky." Just for one day a year. Tonight, a special item would appear in the Masterss. If my predictions were correct... "ording to the map, the ''Garden'' is... over there?" Even though I had explored the academy extensively in the game, it was so vast that I consulted the map once more to find my way. After walking for a while along a secluded forest path, I saw a massive, circr building enclosed in a ss ceiling in the distance. That was the Masterss''s "Garden." As the Masterss primarily focused on magic, it always kept a plentiful supply of magical ingredients. The academy''s "Garden" was a secret ce where these magical ingredients were cultivated. There were many rare materials in the "Garden," but the most special one was my target for tonight. "...So that''s why..." As I walked, excited, I heard someone''s voice from the opposite direction. I stopped and tensed. ''Could it be a guard?'' Two faint shlights were visible, suggesting that it was indeed. But that was strange. I had definitely checked the patrol schedule for this area. ''...I shouldn''t be seen by them right now.'' Since the staff dormitory where I was staying was a long way from here, I couldn''t make an excuse that I was just out for a walk. I hid behind a tree and held my breath. "Ugh, I''m so tired! What''s with this sudden increase in patrols?" "I know, right? Why do they have to increase patrols on the night of a full moon?" "Apparently, some thief has been breaking into the academy. They''ve already stolen nine times." "Damn it. Why would anyone steal from an academy? They should rob some rich people instead and leave us alone..." I listened intently to the guards'' chatter. It seemed there had been a series of thefts at the academy, which was why the patrols had been increased. ¡®A theft incident... was there something like that in the early stages of the game?¡¯ ording to the game''s timeline, it was still the first day for the yer. I racked my brain, trying to recall if there was any event rted to theft at the beginning of the game. "Anyway, even if we increase patrols, will we be able to catch the thief? Even the student council can''t find any clues." "We just have to do as we''re told. At least we''ll get overtime pay..." One of the guards suddenly stopped and looked around. The other guard asked, "What''s wrong? Is something up?" "Hold on... I smell something strange." "Smell?" "Yeah, I''ve got a nose like a bloodhound, you know." "You can smell anything within a hundred meters." "Exactly. But I swear I smell something odd around here." "Odd, you say?" "It''s not a human scent. It''s almost like... blood. Sniff, sniff!" The guard started sniffing around the bushes like a dog. The other guard took a deep breath and his muscles bulged, like a balloon. Wielding their clubs menacingly, the guards approached the tree where I was hiding. My heart pounded. "Ipletely forgot... these guards are the ''Gangnam Double Peaks''." Most of the faculty members at the Masterss had extraordinary abilities, but the duo known as the Gangnam Double Peaks were notorious even among viins. Kim, with a nose as keen as a bloodhound, could detect the scent of a viin from miles away. And then there was Park, whose strength exceeded human limits when inbat. Fitting for an academy that was always gued by incidents, the creators had given the guards an excessively high level ofbat ability, resulting in this duo. ¡®As I expected, this won''t be easy.¡¯ With my current ability level, I had no chance against the Gangnam Double Peaks. I had already dismissed the option of fighting them. After all, a blood demon wasn''t built forbat, especially in the early stages of the game. ¡®Blood demons may be weak inbat early on, but they have some useful spells.¡¯ I recited one of the few spells I knew. Quietly, so the guards couldn''t hear. "Hey, have you found anything yet?" "It''s strange. I could''ve sworn I smelled something right here... Ow, ow, ow!" "What''s wrong?" The guards looked up at the branch and jumped back in surprise when they saw me. However, instead of raising their clubs, they let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, it''s just a bat." "You mean that strange smell wasing from that?" "Sniff, sniff... Yeah, it smells faintly of blood. Maybe it ate a squirrel." "Aw, man. I thought we had caught the thief. Let''s go." "I didn''t know there were bats in this academy..." They dismissed me as a mere bat and continued their patrol. I breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®I managed to get away.¡¯ The basic polymorph spell that turned me into a bat was quite useful in situations like this. No one would find it suspicious if they saw a bat in the woods. Ding-! [You have sessfully deceived the powerful guards, Gangnam Double Peaks.] [Your Blood Demon characteristic experience has increased!] A message appeared as the guards disappeared from sight. In "Military Chronicle," performing actions that were characteristic of your race would grant you experience points based on the system''s judgment. The message indicated that the system had deemed my transformation into a bat to be a highly characteristic behavior for a blood demon. ¡®The best way to level up a blood demon is through blood-sucking, of course.¡¯ There was no action that would grant a blood demon more experience points than the blood-sucking spell. ¡®I wonder how much experience I''ll gain in the Garden¡­¡¯ [Activating Polymorph spell.] [Selecting Do Jin-hak as Polymorph transformation.] [Your ENP level has increased to 20/180.] I transformed back into Do Jin-hak and carefully climbed down from the tree. I cautiously moved towards the garden, making sure to keep a wary eye on the guards. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 6 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 6 ¡®This is my first time being here.¡¯ Having finally entered the Garden, I looked around at the various flowers and trees in bloom. Although I had visited this ce many times in the game, this was my first time here in this world. "I¡¯d love to take a few of these nts, but... it wouldplicate things." The quantity and types of ingredients in the Garden were strictly controlled. If even one was missing, a thorough investigation would beunched. I had to avoid getting caught red-handed. "Besides, that¡¯s not my main goal." Taking my eyes off the precious magical ingredients scattered around me, I walked towards the center of the garden. A faint light began to emerge from the depths of the shadowy garden. "It''s been a while since I''ve seen you... the Sacred Tree." A small, human-sized tree stood tall in the center of the garden, emitting a soft white light. As the gentle light enveloped me, a message appeared before my eyes. It was a familiar message. [The Sacred Tree¡¯s energy is rapidly restoring your Entropy.] [Your current ENP level has decreased from 20/180 to 0/180.] Entropy, or ENP as it wasmonly called, was the most important unit in the world of "Military Chronicle." Unlike other games where health and mana were separate stats, this game used ENP as a unified measure. What was unique was that ENP didn''t represent energy itself, but rather the consumption of energy. "So, the more you use your abilities, the higher your ENP goes." Every character in "Military Chronicle" had a maximum ENP limit. Whenever you used abilities, cast spells, took damage, or exerted yourself, your ENP would gradually increase from 0 until it reached the maximum. And when it reached the maximum... The character would be incapacitated. "But that won''t happen near the Sacred Tree." The Sacred Tree was a mysterious tree in the world of "Military Chronicle" known for rapidly restoring ENP. That''s why, in battlefields, securing the location of a Sacred Tree was a crucial strategic objective. "And on a night like tonight, when the moon''s magic is at its peak..." On full moon nights, the Sacred Tree was even more potent. Especially on nights like tonight, the Lunar New Year, when the atmosphere was saturated with lunar energy, the Sacred Tree would produce leaves and fruit from its branches. "...It''s a shame I can''t take any." I gazed at the fruit that was slowly ripening on the Sacred Tree''s branches. The fruit of the Sacred Tree, which only ripened once a year, had miraculous properties, but few people knew about it. It wasn''t just because it only bore fruit once a year. The main reason people were unaware of its existence was... "...They''re here." While hiding in the bushes and watching the Sacred Tree, I saw something emerge from the void. "Kyaa!" "Kya-a-a!" Naked figures with leafy hair appeared. They were spirits. The forest spirits would quickly pick the fruit from the Sacred Tree and eat it. Crunch, crunch- The sound of the spirits eating the fruit echoed through the quiet garden. This was why people didn''t know about the fruit. The spirits loved the fruit. As soon as the fruit ripened once a year, the spirits would eat them all, leaving nothing for humans. "I only found out about this by chance." I had discovered this fact while barely escaping death at the hands of the military. I had been hiding near the Sacred Tree and witnessed the spirits eating the fruit. Since then, I had been visiting the Sacred Tree every Lunar New Year. Was it because I wanted the fruit? No, although the fruit was a valuable item, I was more interested in something else. "Yelp?!" I crept up behind one of the spirits that was greedily eating the fruit and grabbed it by the neck. It let out a piercing scream, and the other spirits fled back into the spirit realm. "Keeek, kee..." I looked into the terrified eyes of the spirit and sank my teeth into its neck. [Casting the Blood-Sucking spell.] [The blood you''ve sucked contains the essence of a tree spirit.] [You have gained 7% of the Tree Spirit''s Essence!] [A new option, "Tree Spirit," has been added to your Polymorph spell list.] "Keeek..." The spirit whimpered as I drained its blood. As with when I had sucked Do Jin-hak''s blood, several messages appeared, but the blood of a spirit was on apletely different level. As the life force of the spirit flowed into me, dopamine surged through my brain. [You feel an abundance of life energy coursing through your body.] [Your characteristic "Blood Demon" has leveled up to Lv.2!] [You have unlocked the new spells "Hungry ws" and "Bloodstorm Veil" that weretent in your characteristics!] [The essences you have acquired are growing stronger within your blood!]. With a thud, the spirit copsed to the ground, its life forcepletely drained and its body hardening. Thanks to this, I was able to savor the overflowing energy. A level up in my characteristic, new spells, and a strengthening of my essence... "Quite a reward for a single use of the blood-sucking spell." Unlike other viins, blood demons primarily leveled up their characteristics through the blood-sucking spell. Stronger blood, special blood, noble and sacred blood. Any being with blood flowing through its veins was prey for a blood demon. Especially special blood like that of a spirit, which contained the life force of dozens of humans and was incredibly helpful for leveling up early on. "With this, my preparations areplete." In the early stages, blood demons are too weak, so it''s important to level up quickly and acquirebat spells. This academy is filled with high-level individuals, both professors and students. Of course, the most important thing is to avoid being discovered. But even if I were discovered, with my current level, I wouldn''t be killed instantly. Unless my opponent was exceptionally strong, that is... "Professor?" "?!" Suddenly, I heard someone''s voice from the garden. Who could it be,ing to this ce at this hour? "Are you Professor Do Jin-hak?" A female student emerged from the darkness, illuminated by the light of the Sacred Tree. She smiled faintly at me. My whole body froze at that smile. Her neatly cut bob, her condescending eyes, the perpetual sneer on her lips, her slow, quiet speech... I couldn''t forget any of it. I had died countless times at her hands. ''Seo Su-gyeong? How did she get here?'' Seo Su-gyeong, the Sword God. A name that struck fear into the hearts of viins, known for her god-like swordsmanship. She was one of the mainpanion characters in the game and always became one of the 7 Heroes in the mid-story. "Wow, you really are Professor Do Jin-hak. I never thought I''d meet Professor D in person. It''s a pleasure to meet you. I''m Seo Su-gyeong... but..." Approaching me, she examined my face closely, looking as intrigued as if she had met a celebrity. Then, she nced at the ground. "Is that... a spirit? What are you doing here?" Her eyes were filled with suspicion. I couldn''t say anything. Seo Su-gyeong''s sudden appearance had left me speechless. ''Another failure? So soon?'' With my current level, I couldn''t defeat the Sword God. Seo Su-gyeong was one of the smartest and most ruthless of the 7 Heroes. I had died countless times at her hands, and she was always there. Yes, just like in the 137th ythrough. * * * "Blood Demon, we''ve lost contact with Nachal." The 137th ythrough. The High Society era. Jeokho, mypanion, had brought me this news. At that time, I was one of the Four Great Evils, and countless viins worshiped me. Among them, Nachal and Jeokho were my most trustedpanions. They were loyal to me, willing to take their own lives at mymand. In the 137th ythrough, I had devised a n to create such loyal followers. It was the best strategy I could think of after countless deaths at the hands of the 7 Heroes. No matter how much I enhanced my Blood Demon abilities, I couldn''t defeat the 7 Heroes. So I thought, what if I had strong allies by my side? Nachal and Jeokho were the best viins I could find, and my strategy of making them my right and left hands had been quite effective. The 7 Heroes were hesitant to attack us, fearing ourbined power. I thought I could finally escape this cursed game. Until I heard that terrible news. "Nachal''s unit has also disappeared. I''m afraid they''re all dead." Jeokho''s words echoed in my mind like a nightmare. I asked, hoping against hope, "...Do you know who did it?" "I heard Nachal was pursuing Sword God."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The moment I heard that name, I squeezed my eyes shut. "That name again!" Seo Su-gyeong, the brains behind the 7 Heroes, had always managed to thwart my ns. In all my 137 ythroughs, every strategy I devised had been crushed by the 7 Heroes, and half of those failures could be attributed to Seo Su-gyeong''s schemes. I feared that she might attack again, backed by the 7 Heroes, especially after my recent loss of Nachal. I needed to quickly find a recement for my right-hand man. However, Jeokho, instead of grieving, saw this as an opportunity. "I''ve heard that Baldosinyeong''s forces are celebrating their victory over Nachal." "It''s the perfect time for a surprise attack." "I''ll lead the viins. Give me your permission." "No. You and Baldosinyeong don''t mix well. In fact, you''re practically opposites." "But... if we let the person who killed Nachal go unpunished, the Blood Demon''s name will be ridiculed. And I''m sure Nachal wouldn''t want that." Jeokho used this excuse, but I could see the burning desire for revenge in his eyes. I couldn''t allow it. I couldn''t afford to lose Jeokho as well, not after losing Nachal. But despite my orders, Jeokhounched a surprise attack. Little did he know, it would be hisst. Jeokho was captured and beheaded. I heard that his head was mounted on a pike as a trophy to boost the morale of the military. I was furious. Iter learned that Seo Su-gyeong had nned the attack on Nachal and Jeokho from the beginning. She had realized that by cutting off my right and left arms, she could attack me directly. "Everyone should thank me. If I hadn''t dealt with Nachal and Jeokho, how would you have been able to meet the famous Blood Demon so easily?" Seo Su-gyeong had appeared with the 7 Heroes and said those words with a sinister smile. She had cut off my left arm and right hand and yed with them as if they were toys. That was myst memory of the 137th ythrough. * * * "Are you alright, Professor? Do you feel unwell?" Seo Su-gyeong leaned in and stared at me. She was exactly the same. That same calm demeanor. Those scornful eyes. That disgusting voice... Except she was a bit younger. Other than that, she was no different from the Sword God who had ughtered me countless times. "...No, she must be at the Sword Saint level now." Seo Su-gyeong wouldter be known as the Sword God. Her swordsmanship would reach divine levels. But that would happen after she joined the 7 Heroes and underwent Professor D''s training. The current Seo Su-gyeong hadn''t reached that level yet. ''So... could I kill her now?'' I had just leveled up my characteristics and acquired new spells. Now was my chance. Now, while she was so unguarded. I might finally seed in assassinating Seo Su-gyeong, something I had failed to do countless times before. "Hey, I think I heard something outside." Just as I was about to cast a spell, I heard footsteps approaching from outside the garden. "Must be the guards." The guards had probably finished their patrol and wereing back. I felt my energy draining. If the guards joined Seo Su-gyeong, I would have no chance of survival. "...There are guardsing." Seo Su-gyeong nced outside and looked back at me. Then, she ced her hand on her sword. And in the blink of an eye, a sh of light. I closed my eyes. ¡®I guess this is it. I didn''t expect to die so quickly.¡¯ I had anticipated this ythrough to be more difficult than the others, but I hadn''t expected such an unexpected variable. I had no idea where I went wrong. I was about to hear the game over message... "What are you doing? Help me!" Instead, I heard Seo Su-gyeong''s urgent voice. I opened my eyes and saw her struggling to move a corpse into a deep hole she had created. ''Did she just attack me to create this hole?'' I couldn''tprehend her sudden actions. Seo Su-gyeong lowered her voice and said urgently, "We should bury the spirit here. No one will find it. Help me, quickly!" [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 7 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 7 "Wow, it''s much more ordinary than I expected. I heard so many rumors about you, I was curious to see what your office was like," Seo Su-gyeong looked around my private office andmented. After the incident in the Garden... She had asked to speak with me, so I brought her here. "But howe you don''t even have a coffee pot in your office? I heard you drink more than 10 cups of coffee a day." She grumbled in a disappointed tone, pulling two cans of coffee from her pocket. I stared at her as she held out a can of coffee. "Here, have one. It''s from Cafe Untni, you know? The oneyou went to with the vice principal. It''s quite good." "...What are you trying to do?" "What do you mean?" Seo Su-gyeong blinked her eyes innocently. I stared at her without saying a word. After a long moment, the innocent mask on Seo Su-gyeong''s face slipped, and a sly smile crept into her eyes. "You''re quite prickly, just like they say. Are you sure that''s wise? After all, I''ve seen your little secret." "What secret are you talking about?" "Oh,e on. Are you ying dumb? Why were you in the Garden? And what was that spirit corpse doing there? What were you doing?" Seo Su-gyeong smirked as if she had me cornered. And she did. After all, she had seen me in apromising position, in a restricted area with a dead spirit. ''She''ll use this against me." Given Seo Su-gyeong''s character in the game, she would definitely use this information to manipte me. But Seo Su-gyeong was mistaken about one thing. It wasn''t me who was vulnerable. "Then let me ask you something." "What?" "What were you doing there?" Seo Su-gyeong hesitated for the first time. Seeing her hesitation, I sneered. "You''re not a professor, and you''re not majoring in a subject that requirespounding magical ingredients. What was a student from the Emission Department doing in the Garden at that time? Aren''t you more suspicious?" Seo Su-gyeong''s eyes hardened. She knew. She knew that she was also in apromising position. "Well, you''re right. The professor from the Deconstructionist Department is very perceptive." She sighed and admitted, "Alright, I''ll tell you. I was following you." "Following me?" "I saw you earlier this evening and wanted to greet you, so I came to this building. But then you suddenly left in a hurry, as if something was wrong." She imed that she had followed me out of curiosity. ''I don''t think she''s lying." Her tone and demeanor suggested that she was genuinely curious about me. It was typical of her arrogant personality to shift the me onto me. "So, why did youe here?" "Believe it or not, I was very impressed by your Deconstructionist Department thesis." I was surprised. Professor D''s thesis was so abstract and difficult that even professors found it hard to understand. ¡®I, who had barely grasped half of it after a month of studying as Professor D, am told that a student has found it impressive.¡¯ It was hard to believe.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I can see you don''t trust me." I must have unconsciously frowned because Seo Su-gyeong said it as if she had read my mind. "I understand. It must be rare for you to meet a student who has read your papers. But this is the Masterss, isn''t it? I''m Seo Su-gyeong. You know who I am, right?" How audacious. I was momentarily speechless at her nonchnt attitude. Her calm voice and gestures suggested an unusually high level of self-esteem. ''Right... that''s just how she is. I''d forgotten.'' If Professor D was a character who mocked everyone, Seo Su-gyeong was one who believed she was the best in the world. Thanks to her family''s wealth and her exceptional talent, she had never experienced failure in her life. Although she was often disliked because of her arrogant attitude, she was surprisingly popr among gamers who found her character charming. ''I could never understand why people liked her.'' I put on a mocking expression, as Professor D would have done. "I know you''re a member of the student council." "Thank you for knowing. And please know this: I''m very interested in the Deconstructionist Department, and I want to have a deep rtionship with you." Seo Su-gyeong looked me straight in the eye and smiled slyly. I nodded, urging her to continue. "I''ve really read your papers. Several of them, in fact. You mainly focus on experiments with viins, right? But as you know, viinous test subjects are very expensive, and it must be difficult to secure funding." "Just get to the point." "Well, I''m saying that I might be able to help. With your tight research budget." "You''re offering to sponsor me? With the International Group?" I feigned surprise. Actually, I was genuinely surprised. The International Group, Seo Su-gyeong''s family business, was one of the top two conglomerates in Korea. In the game, the Seo family, the owners of the International Group, was depicted as a prestigious family that had produced numerous talented individuals since the Goryeo Dynasty. They were known for their extensive phnthropy and sponsorship of various causes. ''But why would they be interested in a minor department like the Deconstructionist Department?'' While it wasmon forrge corporations to sponsor academic research, it was rare for them to be interested in such a fringe field as Deconstructionist. "Why would you do that?" Seo Su-gyeong seemed taken aback by my question. "Of course, I want to support research that I find interesting. Besides, I''m taking a minor in the Deconstructionist Department this semester, remember?" "Is that all?" "Of course. Why would there be anything else?" "I don''t think someone like you would do something so selfless." I asked directly. Seo Su-gyeong was not the type of person to do something without expecting something in return. Seo Su-gyeong blinked, looking offended. "Wow, you''re so cynical. You think I would ask for something in return for funding your research?" She seemed genuinely insulted. "There might be students like that at other academies, but not here. Here, research funding is more like a gift. It''s like giving someone a box of choctes or fruit basket." Seo Su-gyeong argued, sounding indignant. ording to her, she was simply offering a gift, just on a muchrger scale than usual. "So I don''t need anything in return. Just treat me well. Like a precious gem you''ve found in a pile of rocks." Seo Su-gyeong''s eyes sparkled as she said this. It was almost hypnotic. As I was pondering her words, a message appeared on my screen. Ding-! [Sub-Quest: A Secret Proposal from the Sword Saint] [Content: Seo Su-gyeong seems interested in forming a secret connection with you. Increasing your favorability with her might have benefits.] [Reward: Funding from the International Group, increased status for the Deconstructionist Department.] I stared at the message as Seo Su-gyeong looked at me expectantly. * * * "What kind of quest is this?" After Seo Su-gyeong left, I was left alone in my office, mumbling to myself. A message that had appeared earlier was constantly on my mind. Especially the reward. "Raising the status of the Deconstructionist Department..." My eyes lit up at the unexpected quest and its reward. This was it. This was how Professor D had raised the status of the Deconstructionist Department. "I wonder how Do Jin-hak managed to raise the status of the Deconstructionist Department." It was simple now that I thought about it. All I had to do was make Seo Su-gyeong my disciple. Having the Sword Saint, ranked fifth in the entire Masterss, join the Deconstructionist Department would undoubtedly elevate the faction''s status. "Come to think of it, in the game, Seo Su-gyeong''s minor was also the Deconstructionist Department." Seo Su-gyeong was the only student council member who joined the Deconstructionist Department. In the original game, the story revolved around the students discovering Professor D''s plot, leading to them bing the 7 Heroes. Seo Su-gyeong yed a crucial role in this, but I had never delved deep into her personal quest. I had simply assumed she was a troublesome student paired with a troublesome professor. "I didn''t know there was such a backstory between the two." I had never explored the details of Seo Su-gyeong''s character in the game. "But epting this quest might be too easy." While the reward was tempting, there were risks involved. The biggest risk was Seo Su-gyeong herself. She might use this as leverage to control me in the future, just like she had done to Professor D in the game. "She''ll definitely use this to control meter, just like she did with Professor Do." In the game, Professor D was a fearsome character who insulted everyone, but he was always cautious around Seo Su-gyeong. It was clear that she had some hold over him. "I think I''ll pass on this for now." I dismissed the message. The reward was tempting, but the risks were too high. "I can''t let Seo Su-gyeong control me." If I followed the game''s storyline, the students would eventually be the 7 Heroes, and I would fail to prevent that. "So, what other options do I have?" I was back to square one. But this time, it wasn''t as hopeless as before. Thanks to Seo Su-gyeong, I had a new idea. "...I don''t need Seo Su-gyeong. I just need another top-ranking student." In the game, Professor D had raised the status of the Deconstructionist Department because a top-ranking student had joined it. So, it didn''t have to be Seo Su-gyeong. If I could find another student with a simr status and bring them into the Deconstructionist Department, I could achieve the same goal. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 8 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 8 A solution came to mind, and I quickly sat down at my desk and opened myptop. I logged into the academy¡¯s homepage and checked the rankings. "If I''m going to bring someone into the Deconstructionist Department, they should be in the top 10 rankings." The top 10 rankings were filled with familiar names, including Seo Su-gyeong. Some of these names belonged to characters who could be allies or enemies depending on the yer''s choices. "Okamoto, ranked 4th... he''s too shady." Okamoto Daichi from the Alchemy Faction was as calcting as Seo Su-gyeong. It would be better to recruit a student who was more transparent and easier to understand than someone whose motives were unknown. "Then Shin A-sol, ranked 3rd... she would be the best choice." Shin A-sol, the ace of the Defense Department and one of the main characters, was known as the "Iron Fortress". She was highly respected by her peers and wouldter be known as the "Impregnable Fortress", one of the 7 Heroes with the strongest defense. Unlike other students, she was solely focused on the Defense Department, making her a straightforward and trustworthy character. "What incident was I involved with Shin A-sol again?" Shin A-sol was known for her high stats from the early game. Many yers recruited her as apanion, and since I had invested a lot of time in her character, I knew her personal story quite well.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om I vaguely remembered an incident involving Shin A-sol at the beginning of the semester. "...Oh, right, I remember the guards mentioning something about a thief." I had been thinking about the guards'' conversation about a thief on my way to the garden. I searched the academy¡¯s homepage for the bulletin board and clicked on a notice from the academy. - Notice regarding theft incidents on campus (Must read) That was it. I clicked on the notice and quickly read through it. The vice-principal''s post contained additional information about the theft. - Hello, everyone. This is the Vice-Principal. The campus has been quite chaotic due to the ongoing theft incidents sincest semester. This is all because you students don''t pay attention to your surroundings. If you had been more vignt, thieves wouldn''t have been so rampant on campus. Anyway, listen carefully... (continued)... So please take care of your belongings. Don''t me the academy. The academy is here to teach you, not to babysit you! Sincerely, Vice-Principal Oh Ji-sung The vice-principal''s post, devoid of any sense of responsibility, was apanied by a "dislike" button that had been clicked over a thousand times. "...Well, at least I know what''s going on. This is the ''Phantom Thief'' quest." This was the "Phantom Thief" quest that urred early in the game. It was a quest where Shin A-sol, the most just member of the student council, pursued a thief named Phantom. Phantom was the most famous thief in the game''s world, known for his ability to never be caught. yers would help Shin A-sol track down the Phantom Thief and gain fame within the academy and earn her favor as a reward. "I can use this." Although it was originally a quest for the yers, there was no reason why I couldn''t solve it myself. Shin A-sol was a very loyal person who always repaid her debts. If I helped her solve the Phantom Thief case, she would be grateful and might be willing to join the Deconstructionist Department. "What was the Phantom Thief''s next target?" I reviewed the list of stolen items in the notice, trying to remember what the thief would steal next. Knowing the next target would make it easier to catch the thief. "The items stolen so far were..." I read through the list: a luxury bag, a diamond ring, Zanda''s sword, Genghis Khan''s helmet, limited edition sneakers, gold earrings, and a gym uniform. "A gym uniform?" I frowned at the strange item on the list. The Phantom Thief was known for stealing expensive items, such as rare artifacts, cars, jewelry, and even houses. Why would he steal a gym uniform? "Maybe it was a mistake." Not everything in the game world was perfectly urate. It was possible that some details were different. Anyway, based on the stolen items, the Phantom Thief''s next target would be... "...the Hwadam Library." I smiled. The Hwadam Library, named after the Joseon Dynasty schr Hwadam Seo Kyung-deok, was famous for its collection of rare books. It was one of the most prestigious ces in the Masterss and was heavily guarded with special magic. "I''ll be waiting for you, Phantom Thief." The masterss was a vast academy, and even in previous ythroughs, I hadn''t been able to explore every corner. Luckily, I was familiar with the Hwadam Library. To prepare for capturing the Phantom Thief, I hurried to get ready. * * * - The next stop is the student cafeteria. An announcement came over the inte as I sat on the tram and looked out the window. The overhead tram that traversed the vast academy grounds was an essential part of the Masterss. Given the academy¡¯ size, if the tram broke down, students would have to walk for hours. ''The developers loved to add events like tram breakdowns to make the game more realistic.'' It was always frustrating when such an event urred, especially in a game that was already notoriously difficult. So, I was grateful that the tram was running smoothly for now. "...Did you see the notice about the theft that Vice-Principal Oh Ji-sung posted?" A group of female students boarded the tram, chatting amongst themselves. "I did. How could he say such things? Is he crazy?" "It''s not the first time he''s spoken so rudely." "I hope he gets kicked out of his position before I graduate..." The students were furious about the vice-principal''s announcement. I wasn''t surprised. I knew from the game that Vice-Principal Oh Ji-sung was unpopr. His backstory revealed that he was desperate to improve his position and was willing to do anything to achieve his goals, including exploiting others. Hearing the studentsin about him, I felt a sense of satisfaction. "...I heard that Vice-Principal Oh scolded Shin A-sol this morning." "Really? A-sol is so kind. She should just ignore him." "With Shin A-sol''s personality, how could she? That''s why the Vice-Principal always picks on her." The students seemed to pity Shin A-sol. She was highly respected by her peers for taking on the difficult tasks of the student council. ''I''m d I chose Shin A-sol.'' Hearing the students'' conversation reinforced my decision. Bringing Shin A-sol into the Deconstructionist Department would significantly elevate its status. "But won''t Seo Su-gyeong help Shin A-sol? They''re close, right?" Someone mentioned Seo Su-gyeong. Their friendship was well-known in the academy. However, one female student with exotic, tanned skin and blonde hair scoffed. "She''s not the type to help anyone. Seo Su-gyeong is all about herself. She''s the epitome of selfishness." "Really?" "I''ve been in this academy for years, and I''ve never seen her help anyone. I bet she''s never even given up her seat on the subway for an elderly person." "Come on, that''s going too far..." "Not really. Seo Su-gyeong would never do that." The student seemed to have a strong dislike for Seo Su-gyeong. I looked at her more closely. Her face seemed familiar. ''I''ve seen her before, somewhere...'' With so many ythroughs, I had encountered countless characters. "I heard that Seo Su-gyeong visited the new Deconstructionist Department professor''s office." "What? Professor D''s office?" "I heard they talked for a long time." "Wait... is she trying to join the Deconstructionist Department?" "No way... why would she want to join such a terrible department?" "I''ve never met anyone who took Professor D''s sses. I heard the course is going to be canceled next semester." The students started gossiping about Professor D. Behind my back, I was the subject of their rumors. ''This is strange.'' I couldn''t help but eavesdrop. "I heard that Seo Su-gyeong is a perfect match for Professor D. A psychopathic professor and a sociopathic student, a match made in heaven." The student with tanned skin and blonde hairughed. "But Professor D''s reputation is terrible." "It''s worse than terrible, he''s disgusting." "No one wants to take his sses. They say the course will be canceled next semester." They were discussing me as if I wasn''t right there. ''I''m beginning to see why they call me Professor D.'' All the rumors are none of my business. But hearing them while disguised as the person they''re about feels strange. I felt a strange sense of unease, as if I was somehow empathizing with the character I was roleying for so long. I felt a guilty sense of empathy and remained silent until we reached our destination. * * * - "The next stop is the Hwadam Library." After what felt like an eternity of eavesdropping on the students'' gossip, we finally arrived at the library. As I was about to get off the tram, a female student, the one who had been particrly critical of Seo Su-gyeong, was also preparing to leave. "See youter!" The students waved goodbye to their exotic-looking friend. The girl who had been so critical of Seo Su-gyeong nced at me briefly before turning away and getting off the tram. Since we were going to the same ce, she walked in front of me. I felt strangely self-conscious as I followed her from behind. She seemed to notice me following her and nced back several times. When we reached the library entrance, she turned around abruptly. "Excuse me, what are you doing?" "What does it look like?" "You''ve been following me since the tram." "Of course I have. This is the only way to the library." "Don''t make excuses. Don''t you know that not just anyone can enter this library?" She pointed to arge sign posted at the library entrance. The sign had a skull symbol and read: - Hold on! Have you registered to use the library? - Please make a reservation at the administration office before using the Hwadam Library! - The academy will not be responsible for any consequences of entering the library without permission! With a smug look, she pulled a badge from her pocket. It was a Hwadam Library librarian badge. "This library is only essible to authorized personnel at specific times. You''re clearly not a student, so you can''te in." She picked up a twig from the ground and threw it at the entrance. Zzzt-! With a loud spark, the twig turned into ck ash. She looked at me as if to say, "See?" "Why are you doing this?" I asked, annoyed. "Because it''s unpleasant. Do you think I''m the first person you''ve tried to hit on?" "What are you talking about?" "Don''t y dumb. You''ve been eavesdropping on our conversation on the tram, haven''t you? Sneaky." She stared at me with narrowed eyes, as if she could see right through me. I was momentarily speechless. ''Are all the students here this self-assured?'' It seemed like everyone in this academy had an inted ego. ''I should just ignore her,'' I thought. But then I changed my mind. I didn''t think Professor D would have simply ignored her. I looked around and noticed a cherry blossom tree with petals fluttering in the wind. I pointed at the tree and said, "I don''t know what gives you such confidence, but as far as I''m concerned, you''re no different from that cherry blossom tree." "What did you say? Are youparing me to a flower?" "No, I''m saying that even if you werepletely naked, I wouldn''t be interested." The female librarian was speechless. I had tried to imitate Professor D''s style, and it seemed to be working. Ding-! [You feel like you''re starting to understand Professor Do Jin-hak''s unique style.] [Polymorph Option: Your understanding of Do Jin-hak has increased.] [The intensity of your Blood Demon Essence has increased from 10% to 13%] I was surprised by the sudden message. The more I understood the original owner of the Blood Demon Essence, the stronger it became. ''I didn''t expect to strengthen my Essence by doing this.'' I had to admit, my response had been quite Do Jin-hak-like. "Anyway! This library is not for just anyone! Get out of here!" The librarian regained herposure and tried to shoo me away. I stared at her with a mix of annoyance and disgust. It seemed like I would have to continue acting like Professor D. "Who''s the one viting library rules now?" I asked, a menacing glint in my eye. "What do you mean?" I pulled out my faculty ID. Her eyes widened in shock as she recognized me. "Professor Do Jin-hak...? Are you the new professor of the Deconstructionist Department?" "Why are you so surprised? Did you expect me to be less... entric? A mad scientist with a twisted mind?" Her face went pale. The gossip she''d spread wasing back to bite her. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 9 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 9 ¡®I love being a professor.¡¯ I watched as the student¡¯s face turned ashen. Just moments ago, she had been so confident. Clearly, she hadn¡¯t expected me to be a professor. "I suppose being qualified to teach at Masterss means I¡¯m one of the most powerful people in this field." A sense of power I¡¯d never experienced during my viinous days washed over me. With a satisfied smirk, I slipped my ID back into my pocket. "Masterss regtion 3-1 clearly states that all 13th Department professors have unrestricted ess to the library. Did it change overnight?" "N-no, of course not." "Then is there still a reason I can¡¯t enter?" The student stepped aside, her expression a mix of confusion and fear. I brushed past her and entered the library. A wave of magical energy scanned me, verifying my identity. "Beep. Identity confirmed. Professor Do Jin-hak of the Deconstructionist Department." With my faculty card granting me ess, I was finally inside the Hwadam Library. ¡®It''s muchrger on the inside than it looks from the outside.¡¯ The library was even more expansive than I¡¯d imagined. It had been enchanted to grow continuously to amodate the influx of new books. ¡®That''s why they say students get lost in here all the time.¡¯ Hwadam Library was often jokingly referred to as Hwadam Prison. The reason for the library''s immense size was simple: it had been founded by Seo Gyeong-deok. While known as a Taoist master in folklore, Seo Gyeong-deok was a pioneer of modern military strategy in historical records. ¡®I hope he''s burning in hell.¡¯ Seo Gyeong-deok had lived for over 500 years, bing a founding member of the Masterss. He had dedicated his life to studying andbating supernatural threats. This library was a testament to his centuries of research. "Now, what was the name of that book again?" I hade here to take something, but I couldn¡¯t remember the exact title. "Excuse me, Professor." I was pulled from my thoughts by the student. "I couldn¡¯t help but notice you¡¯re new here. Would you like me to show you around?" She seemed genuine, but I could sense her underlying suspicion.N?v(el)B\\jnn "I don¡¯t need your help,¡± I snapped back, annoyed by her persistence. "I''m not a child." She persisted, her eyes filled with doubt. Given my reputation, her skepticism was understandable. "I¡¯m not here to cause trouble," she insisted, her voice soft. "I just want to make sure everyone is following the rules." Her words were polite, but her gaze was unwavering. She was clearly not convinced by my dismissive attitude. I sighed. "Fine. I''m looking for a book on ancient curses." Her eyes widened slightly. "A book on curses? That''s a rather specific request." "It''s for research," I lied, hoping she would buy it. She nodded slowly, still not entirely convinced. "I see. Well, I may be able to help you with that. The book you''re looking for is in the restricted section. It''s a dangerous book, and only certain individuals are allowed to ess it." "Dangerous, huh?" I smirked. "I think I can handle it." She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. Follow me." As we walked through thebyrinthine corridors of the library, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of anticipation. The book I was seeking was said to contain knowledge of powerful, forbidden magic. If I could get my hands on it, it could be a valuable asset. We reached a heavy, iron-bound door. The student inserted a key into the lock, and the door creaked open. The room beyond was dimly lit, filled with shelves of ancient, leather-bound books. "This is the restricted section," she said, her voice hushed. "Please be careful." I nodded and began to browse the shelves. As I scanned the titles, I couldn''t help but feel a thrill of excitement. This was it. The key to unlocking my true potential. ¡®This library is definitely too big for that.¡¯ There was no way I could search the entire library without knowing the exact title of the book the Phantom Thief was after. I cleared my throat. "Since you''re so eager to prove your skills, let''s see how good you really are." "Just tell me the name of the book, and I''ll find it for you right away." "Forget the name. What do you think is the most valuable book in this entire library?" The girl blinked, clearly surprised by the question. I borated, "Imagine you could steal only one book from this vast collection of rare texts. Which book would you choose?" "Steal a book? Why would anyone do that?" "Just answer my question. Or do you ask this many extra questions during your sses too?" After a moment''s thought, she replied, "If I were to steal a book, I''d take the first two volumes of The Nature of Attributes. Of course, I would never steal anything! But if I were a thief..." The girl kept emphasizing the hypothetical nature of her answer. I was more interested in the book title. "Why that book?" I asked. "Well, The Nature of Attributes is a book written by Hwadam based on the stories of the ancient Kamarysh n from the Abyss. The Kamarysh were said to be the closest beings to the Abyssal Lords and possessed knowledge of long-forgotten attributes." "Hwadam wrote about the Abyss?" "Yes. It''s a book about evolving one''s abilities, but it''s soplex that only a handful of people truly understand it. It''s a treasure that can only be found in the Hwadam Library, and its value is immeasurable." I nodded in agreement. ¡®A perfect target for the Phantom Thief.¡¯ "It''s in the G section. I can guide you there. Just give me a moment. This library is so vast that you need a map to navigate it." I knew that. The library was designed to be a maze, with seemingly endless shelves and constantly shifting rooms. ¡®But what is she doing?¡¯ Instead of checking the map, the student closed her eyes and muttered something. With a snap of her fingers, a wooden staff appeared in her hand. ¡®She''s a summoner.¡¯ I recognized the spell. It was a basic summoning spell, but it required a good deal of skill. She drew a summoning circle on the floor and chanted an incantation. A blinding sh of light erupted, and a creature materialized. It was a small dragon, norger than a human head. "This is Karpi. It''s a Karmarysh, one of the most advanced species in the Abyss. They have spatial awareness far superior to humans. With Karpi''s help, we can navigate the library without getting lost." I was astonished. Dragons were incredibly rare, even among summoners. "Let''s go." The girl and her dragonpanion turned and began to walk deeper into the library. ¡®I''ve only seen a dragon a few times.¡¯ Even though it was just a hatchling, it was unusual for a mere student to summon a dragon. It was a bit too much for a simple library NPC. "Now that I think about it, her face looks familiar. Could she be more important than she seems?" I decided to ask her a casual question, just to be sure. "What''s your name?" "Me? I''m Arche from the Summoning Department... Oh, Karpi, stay still! I''m sorry. She must be hungry because she was suddenly summoned." The student, Arche, introduced herself and then went to the library''s staff room to find some snacks. When she opened the door, she found another student working. "Hey, Senior, are you on duty today?" Arche asked, surprised. "Yeah, I''ve been waiting for you. Quick, switch with me." The senior student looked exhausted, as if she had been working all night. Arche sped her hands together. "Sorry. I need to find a book quickly. Have you seen my bag?" "Your bag? Did you summon Karpi again?" "Hehe, I need to find a book in a hurry." "Ugh, I told you to memorize the map." The senior student grumbled but went inside and brought out arge bag. Inside were plenty of snacks for dogs and cats. "Karuru!" The dragon, which had been running around wildly, immediately pounced on the food and began to devour it. Even though it was a baby, it was still a dragon and could eat an incredible amount of food. But I was more interested in the student. More specifically, her name. ¡®Arche... that blond hair... could she be that Arche?¡¯ I remembered seeing the name Gianluca de Arche on the student council roster. She was ranked 7th overall in thest semester and majored in Summoning. As soon as I recalled the name, my image of the stern-looking student council member changed. "Gianluca..." I muttered. Gianluca de Arche. In the game''s world, she was a prominent figure in the rebel army that opposed the powerful Military Association. ¡®No wonder her face looked familiar.¡¯ I remembered her now. I hadn''t recognized her at first because her current appearance was so different from her image in the game. ¡®I can''t believe it''s her. How could she be so different?¡¯ Gianluca was known for her intense hatred of the Military Association and was considered one of the most dangerous rebels. She was said to have led a legion of dragons and devastated Military Association bases. It was hard to imagine her feeding a baby dragon like that. "I''m sorry for the wait. I''ve fed Karpi, so I can guide you now. But please don''t wander off. Many people get lost in here." Arche turned around and began to walk, looking serious. I felt a sense of confusion. ¡®She''s so different from the Gianluca I know.¡¯ The Gianluca I knew was a radical, destructive force. It was strange to see her as a student. ¡®I wonder what happened to her. What kind of event could have caused such a change?¡¯ I didn''t know much about Gianluca''s backstory, but I was curious to find out more. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 10 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 10 Meanwhile, in the Masterss''s indoor pool, a different group of people were racking their brains. "Damn thief, where could he have hidden?" Shin A-sol, a member of the Defense Department, paced around the pool, her frustration evident. Since the theft, the pool had been off-limits, and now it sat empty and still. "To steal something so valuable..." she muttered, her voice echoing in the empty space. At the edge of the pool stood a nude statue of a young girl, her hand reaching out as if holding something. Until yesterday, her hand had held the Masterss''s most prized possession: the Artemis Pearl. "An artifact of immeasurable value, they said? Why would they keep it in a ce like this?" Shin A-sol grumbled, remembering the Vice Principal''s furious reaction. He had insisted that the pearl must be recovered at all costs. "The pearl was created using the essence of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. It could purify any contaminant. It was a top-tier artifact that couldn''t be bought with money!" It was only that morning, after hearing the Vice Principal¡¯s exnation, that Shin A-sol realized the true significance of the pearl she had seen countless times. She began to wonder why such a powerful purifying item was ced in a swimming pool. Her question was answered when she spoke to the pool''s attendant. "The pool water? Oh, we don''t change the water here. It''s never been drained since the academy opened." Shin A-sol was shocked. The Masterss had been using the pearl to purify the pool water instead of regrly changing it. ¡®No wonder I always felt a bit itchy after swimming.¡¯ She realized that her difort had been caused by the unclean water. ¡®This must have been one of Vice Principal Oh Ji-sung''s cost-cutting ideas.¡¯ Shin A-sol knew her academy was obsessed with money, but this was a new low. ¡®Anyway,¡¯ she thought, ¡®the priority is to catch the thief.¡¯ She suspected Professor D, whom she had seen in the hallway the previous day. But before she could officially use him, she needed to find the stolen pearl. "The question is, how did they take it?" She looked around the statue. Okamoto, a member of the Alchemy Department , was standing nearby, muttering over a sk. "Sabaha... ginirana mohara... hum..." He was chanting a spell and dripping a red liquid onto the ground. "What are you doing?" Shin A-sol asked. "Shhh, be quiet. You''re disturbing my concentration,¡± Okamoto snapped, but then softened his tone. "It''s a reagent I use to analyze crime scenes. If I drop it on the ground, it will reveal any footprints." As he dripped the liquid, footprints began to appear around the statue. But there were too many. "There are too many footprints," Okamoto sighed. "I can''t tell which ones belong to the thief." He looked at the statue and frowned. "If only the barrier was down, I could examine the area more closely." The statue had a protective barrier that prevented anyone from getting too close. The thief had somehow deactivated the barrier before stealing the pearl. Okamoto sighed, frustrated. "The barrier was activated by a special talisman kept in the maintenance room. The thief must have stolen that too." A-sol nodded, lost in thought. "That''s a lot of trouble to go through for just one pearl. There must be something special about it." "Maybe it''s not just an artifact. Perhaps it''s a key to something else," Okamoto suggested, his eyes narrowing. "A key?" A-sol repeated, intrigued. "It''s possible. Artifacts of that level often have hidden powers or unlock hidden secrets. We need to find out more about the Artemis pearl." A-sol agreed. "We should start by investigating the history of the pearl and the Kamarysh n, the creators of the artifact." "Right," Okamoto said, a determined look in his eyes. "I''ll start researching the Kamarysh n. You should check the library records to see if there are any clues about the pearl''s origins and its powers." As they began their investigation, they realized that the theft of the Artemis pearl was not just a simple crime. It was a mystery that could unravel the secrets of the Masterss and perhaps even the world itself. "This is getting us nowhere..." Shin A-sol groaned, pondering Okamoto''s exnation. If only they could bypass the barrier and examine the footprints directly beneath the statue. "It''ll take a month to create a new talisman, right?" "That''s right. The professors said there''s no other way to deactivate the barrier." A month was plenty of time for the thief to escape with more of the Masterss''s treasures. A-sol made a decision. "Wait, what are you doing?" Okamoto sensed something was amiss when A-sol stood before the barrier with a determined look. Ignoring him, A-sol equipped her round shield and swung it with all her might at the barrier. Bang-! The pool rippled as a shockwave reverberated through the water. "Stop! That won''t break it!" Okamoto shouted, but his words were drowned out by the deafening noise. Bang-! Bang-! Bang-! A-sol continued to strike the barrier relentlessly. Crack-! Crack-! To their astonishment, the statue began to tremble and then crack. "No way... that''s impossible?" Okamoto couldn''t believe his eyes. The barrier was supposed to deflect any physical force. With each blow, the statue shook more violently, and the cracks grew deeper. The shockwaves from A-sol''s shield were somehow passing through the barrier and directly impacting the statue. Crash-! The statue crumbled, and the barrier disappeared. A-sol caught her breath. "Now we can find the thief''s footprints." Okamoto gave up trying to understand. There was no way his mind couldprehend the absurd notion of breaking a barrier with brute force. Okamoto approached what was left of the statue, holding a red sk. He muttered an incantation... He dripped the magical potion onto the ground, and a single footprint appeared clearly. "...Found it." Atst, the thief''s trail was revealed. Expecting to see a unique shoe print, they were surprised to find a rather ordinary sole. "This size... it can''t be more than a size 230," Okamoto mused. "So, the thief is a woman? And she wears shoes?" Shin A-sol asked. "We can''t be certain... but it seems more likely that it''s a she than a he," Okamoto shrugged. Shin A-sol immediately started following the tracks. The prints led from the statue toward the building''s exit. Outside the pool, they carefully examined the direction of the footprints. "This path leads to... the Hwadam Library?" The thief''s trail ended near the library, which was not far from the pool. Shin A-sol tilted her head. "Do you think they might steal something from the library too?" "I doubt it. The Hwadam Library is soplex, even the librarians get lost." But this was the same thief who had broken through the pool''s imprable barrier and stolen the treasure. A cunning thief who had gotten away with nine heists from the Masterss. "...Let''s go. Maybe following the trail will lead us to something." With a sense of unease, Shin A-sol followed the thief''s footprints. * * * ¡®This ce is a real maze.¡¯ Following Gianluca, I had to admit I made the right choice getting a guide. The library''s interior was far more intricate than anything I''d seen in a game. Countless books lined endless shelves that reached the ceiling. I walked through endless rows of bookshelves, arranged in Ls, right angles, and Us, but it felt like I was going in circles. ¡®Am I even going the right way?¡¯n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After about twenty minutes, my doubts began to grow. Maybe she was just leading me around in circles? "It might feel bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside," Arche said, as if reading my mind. "They used space-expanding magic when they built this library. There''s a huge magic circle underneath the building, so the entire library is basically a giant magic circle. It''s pretty unique, isn''t it?" She seemed to take pride in exining it, as if saying, ''Isn''t that cool?'' ¡®How arrogant.¡¯ I could list all the spells I''ve encountered up to chapter 137 and still not finish in a few nights. While spatial maniption spells areplex, they''re not impossible with enough time and resources. But I didn''t need to show off my knowledge. I just replied in a tired tone, "Was there really a need to make the library soplicated? It seems like people could get lost in here forever." "Well, there have been a few incidents like that, but there''s no other way. The number of books keeps growing, but the space doesn''t. Without spatial magic, we''d be overwhelmed." Arche sighed, mentioning that there were always empty shelves being filled somewhere in the library. "Besides, I heard that Professor Hwadam was really worried about the library''s knowledge leaking out. He said it could easily fall into the wrong hands and be misused by viins." That made sense. I knew there had been several attempts by the High Society to infiltrate the Hwadam Library. ¡®Though none of them were sessful.¡¯ It was a ce where you could get lost while searching for a book and find a dead body without anyone batting an eye. "Isn''t it ironic?" "What is?" "If they truly cared about the world, they should be worried about people dying because theyck knowledge, not about viins getting their hands on it. Why hide it away in a ce like this, essible only to a select few?" Arche suddenly turned bitter, criticizing the library''s founders. "What good is having power and knowledge if you just hoard it here? What''s the point of keeping it hidden from the masses?" "That''s a strange thing to say. Aren''t you one of those select few? You''re one of the Masterss, destined to be an elite soldier." "Ha, I guess I am," Arche scoffed. But it seemed like her scoff was directed more at herself than at myment. "I''m lucky, you know. Sardinia, where I grew up, has such a good climate that it became a tourist destination. Development and agriculture were abandoned. Then, viinous pirates attacked and tourists stoppeding, so my family had to worry about food every day." Arche exined that she was lucky to have made it to the Masterss from such a small ind. "But guess what? Those viinous pirates turned out to be nothing special. A third-rate military force could have easily defeated them. Yet, the Military Association left Sardinia to fend for itself for years." The inders had repeatedly asked for help, but the association always gave the same excuse: they didn''t have enough soldiers. Arche was furious at the injustice. "Even ordinary citizens can be trained to fight viins. And with knowledge like the kind found in this library, they could fight even better." "Don''t you think the government and the Military Association have their reasons for not teaching the public? Reasons for keeping this knowledge to themselves?" "Of course I do. It''s to maintain their power. The more people suffer at the hands of viins, the more valuable soldiers be." It was the truth. In this world, soldiers were revered as heroes who risked their lives to fight viins. But not all soldiers were selfless or noble. Just like politicians, judges, and CEOs held power in the real world, soldiers held power in this world. Those with ambition naturally aspired to be soldiers. Arche was clearly dissatisfied with this social structure. ¡®She certainly has the makings of a rebel.¡¯ Hearing this, I understood. It exined why Gianluca would be a rebel. At the same time, a good idea came to mind. ¡®Maybe this is an opportunity.¡¯ In the story, Gianluca bes a leading figure in the rebellion, devastating the Military Association. And that terrorist attack would trigger the Military Association to seek a way to create stronger soldiers, leading to the 7 Heroes Project. The very project that would create gically enhanced soldiers, a morally questionable endeavor. The person who would pull the trigger on this cursed project was walking right in front of me. ¡®If I could eliminate Gianluca now¡­¡¯ If I could prevent her from contacting the rebels, the rebellion''s attack on the Military Association would fail, and the 7 Heroes Project might never happen. It was a tempting prospect, given my mission to prevent the creation of the 7 Heroes. "We''re almost there. This is G-111, so... G-113 should be around here." Arche, leading the way with her summoned creature, Karpi, pointed to a nearby section and checked the code. Her voice was a bit awkward as she said, "Um, and... please forget what I just said. I think I got carried away." "...No, I don''t think your thoughts are wrong. The world needs people like you." "Really? You actually think so?" Arche asked, seeming surprised. When I nodded, her face brightened, and she continued guiding me with a lighter step. As I followed her, I couldn''t stop thinking about ways to eliminate her. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 11 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 11 "Here it is. ''The Nature of Attributes'', right?" Arche began to examine the rows of books, finally reaching the section they were looking for. "Why are you looking for that book, anyway? It''s a very difficult read, so few people ever bother with it." Arche seemed to have a sudden curiosity about my purpose. What should I say? I pondered for a moment, then, growing impatient, I replied, "Speaking of which, I have a question for you." "Yes? What is it?" "What makes you so confident that just because it''s a difficult book for you, it''s going to be difficult for me as well?" "Well... that''s..." I had snapped at her, and Arche scratched her head awkwardly before resuming her search. ''This rude personality of mine can be useful sometimes.'' Sinceing to this academy, I''d realized that pretending to be a professor wasn''t as difficult as I thought. With a reputation for being so sarcastic, I could easily avoid difficult questions like this. "The Nature of Attributes... Nature of... Ah, found it!" The shelves were over three meters tall, and I thought she''d need adder, but she seemed to know exactly where every book was. She nced at the arrangement of books and found what she was looking for. With a snap of her fingers, a book from the highest shelf slid down. She caught it effortlessly and handed it to me. I heaved a sigh of relief as I took the heavy book. ''Thank goodness it hasn''t fallen into the Phantom Thief''s hands yet.'' If I could just keep an eye on this book, I''d be able to witness the Phantom Thief''s crime. And once I had, the theft quest would beplete. ''After that, it''s Gianluca''s turn.'' The theft quest would be solved, but I still hadn''t figured out how to kill Arche. Given the academy¡¯s setting, I needed to get rid of her as soon as possible... "...Hmm?" Lost in thought, I absentmindedly opened the book and was instantly confused. It was empty. There was no table of contents. No author''s note. No words filled the pages. The book waspletely nk. "The book...? How could this be?" Arche, watching from the side, let out a cry of shock at the empty book. I didn''t have time for exnations. I quickly pulled out the next volume and flipped through the pages. Flip, flip, flip-! It was empty too. And the next one. And the next. They were all nk. ''Could it be...?'' Defeated, I closed my eyes. There was only one exnation. "...I''m toote. The Phantom Thief has already switched the books." "The Phantom Thief? You mean the person responsible for the recent thefts in the academy?" Arche''s face turned pale. She had never expected a thief to break into the library. "How could they...? Even the librarians get lost in this library. And how did they even know about this book? If the vice-principal finds out about this..." Arche panicked, pacing back and forth. I was just as confused. ''I didn''t know the exact timing of the events before the game started, but... I didn''t expect the Phantom Thief to move this quickly.'' At this rate, I''d have to abandon the library and head to the next crime scene. In the game, the Phantom Thiefmitted one final crime after stealing the books from the library. I still had one chance. "Let''s report this to the academy first. And then we can make a list of the stolen books and check if they''ve been posted on any ck market sites..." "Wait, no! You can''t do that!" Arche grabbed my arm, her emerald eyes wide with fear. "Since I was the first to discover it, the academy is going to hold me responsible. They''ll revoke my librarianship and schrship. If that happens, I won''t be able to stay here anymore. I have nowhere else to go but this academy!" Arche''s dragon nuzzled her sympathetically. While her situation was unfortunate, I couldn''t bring myself to feel sympathy for her, knowing the danger Gianluca would eventually pose. Instead, her statement about leaving the academy caught my attention. ''So, the theft incident was the reason Gianluca left the academy?'' I knew she left at the beginning of the story, but I didn''t know the exact reason. From what I could tell, Gianluca didn¡¯t voluntarily leave the academy but was expelled. Perhaps that''s why she harbored resentment towards the academy and developed a twisted personality. ''...Wait. Could this situation lead to an unexpected oue?'' A new possibility urred to me. A scenario where the Dragon Mage didn''t join the rebels. Until now, I had only considered killing Arche to reduce the chances of the Seven Heroes Project. But perhaps there was a better way. ''If I use this situation correctly...'' I sensed a new opportunity emerging. After a moment of thought, I asked a question. "...Do you know when these books were switched?" "When? I''m not sure exactly, but it must have been yesterday at thetest. I remember reading this book yesterday." Arche picked up a book titled "How to Conceal Forbidden Summoning Circles" from the floor and exined. I nodded slowly. "So, no one has been near this corner since yesterday." If that''s the case, things might be easier than I thought. It meant that only three people had been near this area: me, Arche, and the Phantom Thief. I made a decision and activated a spell in my mind. [13% of Do Jin-hak''s essence is activated.] [Do Jin-hak''s spell "Reality Perception" is cast.] [ENP increases from 0/180 to 20/180.] [Your brain begins to perceive multidimensional space.] As the spell took effect, the appearance of the library began to change. Books floated off the shelves, and the shelves themselves disintegrated into theirponent parts. Of course, the library didn''t physically change. It was merely a perception shift induced by the spell. ''I didn''t know Do Jin-hak had such a rare spell.'' "Reality Perception" was not derived from the "Blood Demon" trait but rather from Do Jin-hak''s "Deconstructionist" trait. When absorbing a target''s essence with the "Bloodsucking" spell, the caster also gains ess to one of the target''s most frequently used spells. ''Even though it''s only 13% of Professor D''s "Reality Perception," it''s still incredibly useful.'' This spell allows the user to perceive objects and phenomena in a more concrete and three-dimensional way, going beyond mere surface appearances. ''It''s truly a spell befitting a lifelong devotee of the Deconstructionist Department.'' Using this spell, I carefully examined the area around the stolen books. "Professor...? Why are you staring at the floor like that...?" Arche''s voice sounded distant, as ifing from a dream. Activating a specific part of the brain responsible for vision had temporarily impaired my hearing. But it didn''t matter. I could clearly see what I needed to see. The footprints of three people: me, Arche, and an unknown third party. "Profe... where are you looking? Wait..." I ignored Arche''s fading voice and followed the footprints, determined to track down the Phantom Thief. * * * After about 10 or 20 minutes... The spell ''Reality Perception'' greatly alters the caster''s perception, making it feel like space and time are distorted while the spell is in effect. ''Come to think of it, this is the first time I''ve used this spell for so long.'' Using someone else''s trait spell consumes a lot of energy, especially when the trait level is low as it is now. ''That''s why I''ve only used it for a few minutes at a time until now...'' This continued perception of every detail was causing a headache. Unnecessary, unwanted information was automatically inputted into my mind. The gum stuck to the shelf. The gas particles someone had expelled into the air yesterday. Bloodstains. The smell of urine... Using this spell for so long, I began to understand why Do Jin-hak had be such a psychopath. Beep- [ENP increases to 100/180] [Your body feels extremely tired due to the rapid increase in ENP.] [The spell you are currently using is forcibly terminated.] Eventually, a message appeared, and the spell was automatically deactivated. At the same time, I had to stop in my tracks. My head spun and I felt overwhelmed with fatigue. "Phew... Where am I...?" After tirelessly following the tracks, I ended up back near the library entrance. I looked around, and in the distance, I saw Arche running towards me, panting heavily. "Profe, Professor, slow down a little..." Arche was gasping for breath, unable to speak properly. ''Did I move that fast?'' I hadn''t realized it because I was acting unconsciously, but seeing Arche like this, I realized I must have. I felt incredibly hungry, as I had unconsciously used too much energy. "Huff, huff... Why did youe back here all of a sudden?" Arche caught her breath and asked, wiping her sweat. I stared at her face. "... Ranked 7th in the Masterss. A body overflowing with vitality. Highly pure energy flowing explosively through her veins... Seeing the sweat dripping down her forehead, my appetite increased rapidly. If I could just take a sip of the blood of this young and energetic military candidate... "Hey, why are you staring at me like that...?" Arche suddenly looked scared and took a step back. I quickly turned my head to hide my expression. ''Oh no, I guess I used the spell for too long.'' My ENP had increased too quickly, and I was almost losing control. I needed to find the thief before it was toote. If my ENP reached its maximum, I, as a Blood Demon, would be driven to a frenzy by hunger. "Arche? You''re back? Did you find the book you were looking for?" As I was trying to regain myposure, someone approached me. It was the student who had given Arche her bag earlier. She asked Arche, looking surprised, "Why are you sweating so much? Is something wrong?" "Well, something happened... Are you leaving now?" "Yeah, I''m so tired from working the night shift. I''m going home to crash." The woman named Hyunsuk yawned, her face weary. She was carrying a small handbag, not big enough to hold much. Arche introduced her to me, "This is Senior Kim Hyunsuk. She''s the librarian who has worked at Hwadam Library the longest." Arche added that, unlike the students, the full-time librarians took turns working night shifts, so they always had a lot of work. While listening, I nced at Hyunsuk''s lower body. ¡®...Different shoes.¡¯ The Phantom Thief was known for his ability to disguise himself as people around the crime scene. I wondered if this woman might be the Phantom Thief, but the thief''s footprints were from the sole of a shoe. However, the shoes Hyunsuk was wearing now were low-heeled... "I know. The person next to you is the new professor of the Deconstructionist Department, right?" Before I could finish being disappointed, Hyunsuk looked at me and spoke. "You''re very eager to work. You came to the library right after you were appointed. Well, our library is so famous, so professors like you sometimese here." Like Arche, Hyunsuk boasted about the library. Arche interrupted her, saying that wasn''t the point. "Senior, have you seen anyone suspicious while working the night shift?" "Suspicious? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?" "Well..." Arche hesitated for a moment, then told her everything. It was probably because she trusted her senior so much. After hearing the whole story, Hyunsuk said incredulously, "The Phantom Thief? You mean someone switched books in our library?" "Yes. So we have to find them quickly. They probably haven''t gone far..." "Oh my, I never thought they would target our library..." Hyunsuk thought for a moment, then seemed to remember something. "Come to think of it... A maintenance worker came by this morning saying they needed to fix something. They said it was the principal''s order... but I never received any message from the principal." She said she had let the person in after checking their ID, but it had felt strange. Arche pped her hands. "Where did they go? That maintenance worker?" "They said they were going to check the speaker system, so they must be in the machine room." "Okay, I''ll go there." "Alright, I''ll call the security guards, just in case." Arche and Hyunsuk got ready to move. Meanwhile, I stood there, watching them. Something about their conversation seemed odd. "...Wait a moment." The two people who were about to leave turned to me. I spoke to Hyunsuk. "Are you sure it was just that one maintenance worker? Anyone else suspicious came in or out of here yesterday or today?" "Didn''t you hear me? I was on duty all night, so I know for sure." "You mean you''ve been in the library continuously since yesterday?" "Yes, I did. Is there a problem?" Hyunsuk frowned, exasperated.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om I raised my eyebrows slightly. "Then how did you know I was the new professor? If you haven''t left the library, you wouldn''t have seen me." My name hadn''t been in the academy newspaper. The only people who knew I was in the Masterss were those in the main building hallway yesterday. In fact, even Arche hadn''t recognized me at first. Hyunsuk stood frozen in ce, as if rooted to the spot. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 12 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 12 "How did you know I was the new professor?" Hyunsuk, who had seemed rooted to the spot for a moment, widened her eyes and let out a wryugh. "Oh, I''ve worked at this academy for years. I can tell at a nce just by looking at someone, don''t you know?" Really? Hyunsuk had said the maintenance worker was suspicious, but the thief''s footprints I had tracked led from inside the library to the lobby. There was no reason for the thief to go back into the maintenance room once they had left the lobby... ''They could just change their shoes.'' At first, I hadn''t suspected anything because the thief''s footprints didn''t match Hyunsuk''s shoes, but now things were different. I used the remaining energy to cast the spell again. [13% of Do Jin-hak''s essence is activated.] [Do Jin-hak''s spell "Reality Perception" is cast.] [ENP increases from 90/180 to 110/180.] [Your brain begins to perceive multidimensional space.] As I cast the spell, secrets that had been hidden began to reveal themselves. ''Her heart rate is gradually increasing. The muscles around her smiling lips are about 23% more tense than usual, and her pupils are dting abnormally...'' Additionally, due to the sudden activation of blood cirction, blood flow has increased, and sweat nds are secreting bodily fluids. ording to Do Jin-hak''s knowledge, all these symptomsmonly stem from one psychological state. ''It''s when someone is hiding something.'' The student in front of me was lying. I canceled the spell and pointed to Hyunsuk''s handbag with my hand. "Ms. Hyunsuk, what''s in your bag?" When I pointed it out, Hyunsuk blinked, looking bewildered. "Oh, our professor is so curious about everything. What''s in it? It''s just my stuff. You''re not really that curious about what''s in ady''s bag, are you?" She said that, but I didn''t believe her. I could clearly see the muscles in Hyunsuk''s hand, gripping the bag, tense by about 30% the moment I pointed at it. "Gianluca." "Yes?" Arche looked surprised when I suddenly called her name. "Is there a rule about taking books out of Hwadam Library?" "Oh, no. Books in Hwadam Library are not allowed to be taken out. The rule is to read them in ce." "Then, what are the penalties if someone is caught trying to take a book out?" "For students, a disciplinarymittee will be held, and depending on the severity, penalties can range from a deduction of points to suspension or expulsion. And for staff members... they will be held legally responsible, regardless of the reason." Arche looked bewildered as she continued to recite the rules. Hyunsuk''s expression grew increasingly tense. "What are you doing? Are you using an innocent person of theft? You''re so strange!" "Ms. Hyunsuk, please show me what''s in your bag." "Ha! Why should I?" Hyunsuk''s face turned red, and she was furious as she tried to pass. I blocked her path and said again, "As a professor of the 13th department of the Masterss, I have the authority to prevent theft on campus. This is yourst warning, so please show me what''s in your bag." "You''re asking me to show you, so you''re not a professor, you''re crazy! Get out of my way!" Hyunsuk tried to push me away roughly. A warning was enough. I cast a spell as I had been waiting for this moment. [Casting the Blood Demon''s spell "Hungry ws".] [ENP increases from 110/180 to 125/180.] [Your ferocity grows as much as your hunger for blood.] Crack-! With a swing of my enchanted hand, the thick leather bag was torn open, and its contents spilled out. To be exact, dozens of books. "What is this? How did so many bookse out of such a small bag?" Arche''s eyes widened in amazement. The bag was a rare item that had the [Dimensional Inventory] spell cast on it. ''It''s also a favorite of the Phantom Thief.'' I would never have noticed it if I hadn''t yed this quest in the game. I never thought she would be a thief and still be disguised as a librarian. You have to be pretty bold to be called the Phantom Thief. "All these books were stolen today... Senior Hyunsuk, what''s going on?" Arche looked at Hyunsuk incredulously, examining the scattered books on the floor. "...Tch." Hyunsuk red at me silently. Her eyes, filled with coldness, werepletely different from those of the person who had been joking just moments ago. "You''re really annoying." Cornered, Hyunsuk, or rather, the phantom thief, no longer pretended to be naive. She took a wand from her pocket and quickly drew a circle. Whoosh-! A magic circle quickly formed in the air and a hot me erupted from it! ''That''s... the [me st] spell.'' It''s a spell that soldiers often use for attacks, so I could recognize it just by looking at the end of the magic circle. Since I had experienced this spell so many times, I instinctively squeezed my palm, squeezing out a lot of blood, and immediately cast a spell. [The conditions for casting the spell have been met.] [Casting the Blood Demon''s spell "Bloodstorm Barrier".] [ENP increases from 125/180 to 140/180.] Whoosh-! mes erupted from the thief''s magic circle, and at the same time, I scattered my blood. Arge amount of blood scattered in the air, swirling around me like a whirlpool. "Tch, what a waste of time!" When the mes failed to prate the barrier, the thief immediately prepared for the next spell. That was exactly what I wanted. Because the [Bloodstorm Barrier] is both a defensive and an offensive spell. ''I want an opponent who attacks the barrier like that, giving me an opportunity to strike when they''re off guard.'' Zing-! A spear made of blood, struck directly by the mes, shot out towards the thief.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The blood spear pierced her chest precisely. "Ha! How dare you!" However, the thief, whose chest had been pierced, simply clicked her tongue. Upon closer inspection, it wasn''t that her chest had been pierced, but that her body had be translucent, allowing the spear to pass right through. That was quite a surprising sight. ''An intermediate-level non-physical spell? The Phantom Thief is using a spell like that?'' This spell, which ces the body on the boundary between the physical and astral nes, minimizes physical damage. Many soldiers want to learn it, but it''s a difficult spell that not just anyone can master. ''So she can use a spell like that.'' I didn''t know that because I had never directly fought the Phantom Thief when I yed the quest in the game. Someone who can cast a spell of that level would be more than wee on the battlefield, so why is she resorting to theft? "Why are you doing such useless things?" The Phantom Thief, who seemed to find it amusing, began to chant a new spell. Freed from physical attacks, this spell was longer and more focused. A golden magic circle drawn in the air with highly concentrated pure magic. As soon as I saw that unusual light, my head started to throb. ''Could it be... is she casting [Argonian One-Point Radiation]?'' Argonian, a soldier known for having the most outstanding fire-based abilities in history. Many soldiers still use the various fire-based spells he created, but among them, [One-Point Radiation] is the ultimate technique of the Fire Department. Arge-scale spell that concentrates the nature of spreading fire to a single point, maximizing its power... This spell, which can prate deep underground bunkers from the surface in a single shot, is a headache for many viins unless there is a defensive spell of equal or higher level. ''The [Bloodstorm Barrier] won''t work this time.'' If my trait level was a bit higher, maybe. Now that I''d barely reached trait level 2, my defensive spell would be torn to shreds in front of Argonian''s One-Point Radiation. ''There''s no way I can escape alone...'' I nced at Arche behind me. She was so focused on reciting a long spell that she couldn''t move an inch. ''If I run away, Gianluca will die.'' I had just found a way to prevent Arche from leading the rebellion, and it would be a huge loss if she died now. So I have to think of another way. A way to block the One-Point Radiation without moving an inch from this spot. ''...Should I try that?'' Luckily, I wasn''tpletely out of options right now. I have one secret weapon that I can only use in my current state. "I didn''t want to waste my time on something so pointless. me yourselves." The Phantom Thief finished chanting the spell and swung her wand. A burst of golden light and a beam of fire shot out of the magic circle like aser...! In an instant, the surrounding air became so hot that it was hard to breathe, and I cast two spells simultaneously. [Casting Do Jin-hak''s spell "Reality Perception".] [Casting the Blood Demon''s spell "Hungry ws".] [ENP increases from 140/180 to 175/180.] [You feel extremely tired due to your ENP being close to its maximum!] Woong-! It felt like a boulder had been ced on my shoulders. Overwhelming fatigue clouded my mind, but I had to endure it. ''I only have one chance.'' As part of my brain responsible for vision activated, I entered the multidimensional world again. At this moment, the flow of time could be slowed down as much as I wanted, and the same applied to the mes flying towards me now. ''From Do Jin-hak''s perspective of dposition, that fire isposed of ionized high-temperature gas and sma.'' A spell that concentrates extremely high-temperature heat particles into one point, exerting extreme physical force. But fire itself is essentially a gas. No matter how much it is concentrated into one point, gas, unlike solids and liquids, has almost no interaction between molecules. ''In other words, the bonds between particles are weak, so it''s easy to scatter.'' Just like this. Whoosh-! I gathered my hands and stabbed the [Hungry ws] into the blurry weak point in the me of the One-Point Radiation. An excruciating pain as if my hands were about to eviscerate washed over me. [Your hands burn intensely in the face of extremely intense heat.] [Due to the influence of your ENP, which is currently close to its maximum, your body is desperately craving blood.] [The effect of the spell "Hungry ws" is greatly enhanced.] A message appeared in front of my eyes, and my fingertips began to harden like stone. I tore through the mes with a loud sound. Crack-! The mes split in two and narrowly missed me and Arche. Seeing the tail of the mes disappearing through the thick concrete wall, the thief''s eyes widened. "My, my One-Point Radiation?!" She seemed to be buffering, as she hadn''t expected this result at all. ''It would bepletely iprehensible withmon sense.'' With my ENP close to its maximum, I was now so hungry for blood that the power of "Hungry ws" was several times more ferocious than usual. In addition, by using Do Jin-hak''s [Reality Perception] to find the weak points between the particles in the gaseous me, this miracle became possible. Of course, my hand is half-burned as a result. "No way! Something must be wrong!" The thief, unable to ept reality, began to chant a spell again. But this time, I didn''t prepare any countermeasures. I didn''t need to anymore. Because Arche, who had been hiding behind me until now, had justpleted a spell. "Karpi!" As Arche''s wand summoned a creature, a dazzling re shed from the creature''s eyes. With a p of its wings, the summoned creature flew up to the ceiling, and a loud roar echoed. Beep-! Beep-! Beep-! An ultrasonic sound wave echoed throughout the library. The sound was so loud that it made people lose their minds for a moment. ''That frequency...?'' I immediately realized what spell Arche had cast using the summoned creature. The [Hungry ws] and [Bloodstorm Barrier] spells were canceled involuntarily. ''It was a [Forced Spell Cancetion] spell using the characteristics of the summoned creature.'' I was truly impressed. Dispel spells are high-level spells that are difficult for students to cast. To seed in doing that through a summoned creature... "This, this...!" Hyunsuk was also greatly surprised as her non-physical spell was canceled and her body returned to normal. Moreover, it seemed that the spell she was casting was also canceled, and Hyunsuk was probably in an [Abnormal State] where she couldn''t cast spells for a while. ''She truly has the talent to be the leader of the rebels...'' For some reason, I started to get excited. When was thest time I felt this excited in this damn game? This appearance was no less than the potential of the [Dragon Mage] Gianluca I encountered in previous ythroughs. It was definitely worth taking the risk to help her. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 13 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 13 "...Did you see that?" At the entrance of Hwadam Library. Shin A-sol and Okamoto, who had just entered the library following the footprints, looked at the scene unfolding in the lobby with disbelief. They were already surprised to witness a high-powered me spell as soon as they entered the library, and Arche''s dispel spell that followed was equally astonishing. But the most unbelievable sight was something else entirely. "That professor, isn''t he Professor D of the Deconstructionist Department? The one with all those rumors..." Okamoto said, still in awe. "He''s amazing, unlike the rumors. He blocked the [Argonian One-Point Radiation], didn''t he? And with his bare hands." As the ace of the Alchemy Department who had studied spells from various departments, he was simply amazed. At least, among the professors he had seen, there was no professor who had taught such a miraculous skill. "...I wonder how that''s even possible." Shin A-sol, on the other hand, couldn''t understand beyond being surprised. She had learned countless ways to counterattack spells in the Defense Department, but she had never seen or heard of such a defensive technique. It was a strategy that was too far removed from the military''s methods. ¡®Do they teach that in the Deconstructionist Department...?¡¯ Shin A-sol, who by nature dug deep into one thing, had never been interested in the minority department. When she heard that it was being added to the Masterss, as there were hardly any majors, she couldn''t even understand it. She had thought that the vice-principal was just taking bribes from somewhere and adding a baseless department... ¡®Was I wrong this time?¡¯ Shin A-sol didn''t want to admit it, but she couldn''t ignore what she had seen with her own eyes. Okamoto nodded beside her and added. "Come to think of it, I heard he was the teacher of that ''crazy Bill Roper'', right? It''s only natural that he has solid skills." Crazy Bill Roper. He was a subject of research in various papers due to his uniquebat style. He was also the reason why Professor D''s name became known to the world. He was the most representative top-tier soldier born from the Deconstructionist Department.N?v(el)B\\jnn "That person was the teacher of Bill Roper..." Shin A-sol had often watched videos of Bill Roper''s activities on the anti-viin front. She had learned a lot from his battles where he exploited the weaknesses of viins from a unique perspective. ''The way he finds weaknesses is definitely simr to Bill Roper''s. But...'' Shin A-sol felt a strange unease about Professor D''s appearance. For someone who taught military cadets, he somehow gave off an ominous aura. As if he didn''t belong in this academy. * * * "What a monster! I''ll get youter!" The Phantom Thief activated a spell scroll, opened a spatial portal, and jumped in. I watched her calmly. ''Such a clich¨¦ line while running away.'' Hearing such lines sometimes makes me realize anew that this world is based on a game. "The thief escaped through the portal! Shouldn''t we chase after her?" "It''s okay. We can''t catch her anyway." I calmed down the excited Arche. It''s almost impossible to track the Phantom Thief''s spatial movement because the magic circle is difficult to analyze. That''s why, even in the actual game, Shin A-sol and the yer could only chase the thief out of the academy but couldn''t catch her. ''The title of Phantom Thief is well-deserved.'' But thanks to that, solving the Phantom Thief quest will cause a big stir. The fact that the thief who caused amotion in the academy was the Phantom Thief will be revealed, and the yer who chased away the thief will receive a lot of spotlight... And now, that effect applies directly to me. "The thief was the famous Phantom Thief?!" "Oh my god! How could a thief like thate to this academy...?" After the thief escaped through the portal the library was suddenly crowded with guards and faculty who had arrivedte. Having heard from Arche about the thief''s identity, they talked seriously, saying that they had almost lost all the academy''s treasures. "But who is that person?" While talking among themselves, some people looked at me and tilted their heads. Someone whispered, "Isn''t that the new professor? The one from the Deconstructionist Department..." "Professor D? That guy?" As soon as they knew his identity, the way they called me instantly changed from ''that person'' to ''that guy''. ''What kind of rumors have they heard?'' I wondered, feeling the sharp nces of people who had suddenly be hostile. I knew my image wasn''t good, but was it that bad? "Professor Do Jin-hak found the thief." As the voices of people whispering about me became increasingly irritating, Arche spoke. "Professor Do is the one who recovered the books from the thief and chased her out of the academy." "Is that true? That guy... no, that professor found and defeated the thief?" The faculty members asked as if they had heard something unbelievable. Arche nodded vigorously. "If it weren''t for Professor Do, we would never have been able to recover the precious books from the library. I would have died at the hands of the thief too." "That can''t be..." Now they started staring at me with confused eyes. Then, after murmuring among themselves for a while, they approached me with reluctant expressions. "You said your name is Professor Do Jin-hak, right? You''ve done a great job right after joining." "I heard that even the professors of the Enchantment Department couldn''t detect the Phantom Thief''s disguise, but you were able to see through it..." "Indeed, your reputation as the head of the Deconstructionist Department is well-deserved." Although they were hesitant, their words were sincere. It was also proof that the Phantom Thief''s notoriety was widely known. Beep- A message appeared in front of me along with an rm. [You can feel a change in people''s perception of you.] [Your reputation as Do Jin-hak greatly increases by solving the academy theft case.] [Do Jin-hak''s reputation score is adjusted from -99 to -55.] [Overall, people''s favorability towards Do Jin-hak has increased.] The message that appeared along with the thank-you was exactly what I had been waiting for. "Ahem... Well, we''re busy right now. Let''s talkter when we have time." The faculty members started to get busy again, tidying up the aftermath of the incident. But I couldn''t take my eyes off the message for a long time. To be exact, the ridiculously low reputation score was very eye-catching. ''My reputation score was -99?'' In the world of Military Chronicle, reputation serves as an important indicator of a person''s value. It''s difficult to raise, but it''s also difficult to lower, so it''s almost impossible to drop below zero unless youmit a serious crime. ''How did rumors spread about this guy, Do Jin-hak, to make his reputation like this?'' To drop to a reputation score of -99, you''d have tomit something like serial murder. Of course, I knew about Professor D''s notoriety, but... Somehow, this guy''s image in this academy was worse than I knew. It certainly wasn''t this bad in the game... ''Wait... Could this be Seo Su-kyung''s doing?'' As I traced the cause, her face suddenly came to mind. Come to think of it, when she made a secret proposal in my office, she seemed to know that I couldn''t refuse. As if she knew about my conversation with the vice-principal. ''Yes... Considering her cunning nature, she could very well have pulled off this kind of scheme.'' Spreading rumors about me to drive the Deconstructionist Department to the brink of extinction, and pretending to kindly join the Deconstructionist Department on her own initiative to take a dominant position. It''s a bullying strategy that Seo Su-kyung could easilye up with. ''Unfortunately, things won''t go your way.'' I''ve been deceived by Seo Su-kyung''s schemes dozens of times over 137 ythroughs. This time must be different. ''It''s about time she showed up...'' Amidst the people busy cleaning up the aftermath of the incident, the voices in the library suddenly grew louder. Turning my head, I saw a striking figure walking in. Jet-ck, long hair. Sharp, upturned eyes. Shoulders as sharp as a soldier''s... The metal round shield on her back was her mascot and a painful memory I would never forget. ''Shin A-sol... It''s the first time we''ve met so early.'' Shin A-sol, now nicknamed "Iron Fortress." In the world of Military Chronicle, she was a character with the most upright personality, unlike Seo Su-kyung who would definitely be one of the Seven Heroes. Depending on the yer''s actions, she could either be one of the Seven Heroes or not. ''The route where Shin A-sol bes one of the Seven Heroes is the worst for viins.'' Shin A-sol, who graduated from the Defense Department with the highest score in history, specializing in defense techniques,ter bes a crazy all-rounder who can''t be shaken even if a hundred viins attack her. In the previous ythroughs, Seo Su-kyung used all sorts of schemes to catch me, but in the ythroughs where Shin A-sol joined the Seven Heroes, she didn''t use any particr schemes. She knew that even if she pushed forward with just force, no one could stop her. ''That''s why I tried to prevent Shin A-sol from joining the Seven Heroes in the previous ythroughs.'' It wasn''t difficult to keep Shin A-sol away from the Seven Heroes. She had such an honest personality that if her colleaguesmitted evil acts and gained notoriety, she would naturally leave the group. ''With that personality, she won''t just let this theft incident pass.'' As if she had heard my thoughts, Shin A-sol, who was talking with people, turned her head and made eye contact with me. With Shin A-sol''s personality, she would definitely express her gratitude to me, and she wouldn''t ignore my advice to join the Deconstructionist Department. That way, my reputation would rise again, and the vice-principal''s quest would be naturally resolved... Beep- [You sense a deep sense of caution in Shin A-sol''s eyes.] [Shin A-sol''s favorability towards Do Jin-hak decreases significantly.] "...What?" An unexpected message. It was so opposite to my expectations that I thought there might have been a bug for a moment. ''Caution and decreased favorability? How could that be? I just met her...'' Then, a word suddenly crossed my mind. That is, patibility]... In the world of Military Chronicle, invisible mechanical factors such as physiognomy, destiny, and feng shui in the real world are included as hidden values. Among them,patibility acts as a major factor in influencing the favorability of others in the Military Chronicle. No matter how heroic your deeds or how kind you are, if yourpatibility with the other person is the worst, you will only be seen as unfavorable. "...Okamoto, let''s go back." Shin A-sol looked at me with wary eyes and then turned away coldly. At the same time, I couldn''t help but sigh. ''I didn''t expect thepatibility between Do Jin-hak and Shin A-sol to be this bad.'' I looked down at my hands in despair. Both hands were burnt ck from blocking the One-Point Radiation. Even though I chased away the thief with my hands in this state, it was all in vain... "Professor Do, are you okay?" I turned around at the sound of a voice, and Arche was already standing next to me. Arche was startled and jumped back, seeing my burnt hands. "Oh my god! How did your hands get like this...! Wait a minute! I''ll call for the medical team right away!" "No, there''s no need for that." I quickly grabbed Arche. The medical team? That would be a disaster. If I let them examine me all over, my identity might be revealed in front of all these people. "Are you okay? You look really serious..." Arche asked again with worried eyes. I replied coldly, wrapping a bandage around my hand, "So are you saying I''m just putting on an act? That I want to look cool in front of you?" "No, that''s not what I meant..." Arche scratched her head, looking embarrassed after I snapped at her. I feel better when I act like Professor D. "You should worry about yourself. You seem to have a lot to talk about with the faculty." "It''s almost done. I think I should report to you, professor." Arche started to exin the aftermath of the incident, thinking that I should know as I had chased away the thief. ¡°As Professor said, the thief was the Phantom Thief. The staff who went to Hyunsuk senior''s house found spell-binding human masks and disguise spell scrolls.¡± Those were famous as the signature items of the Phantom Thief. The staff searched the house thoroughly and found most of the items stolen from the academy, and they found something unexpected in the bathroom. It was the corpse of a woman wrapped in stic. "After DNA testing, it was confirmed to be the corpse of Senior Hyunsuk... The estimated date of death is three months ago, which coincides with the time of the first theft. That damned bastard had been pretending to be Senior Hyunsuk for three months in front of us." Tears welled up in Arche''s blue eyes as she foolishly realized she had been yed by the thief. In those tears, a firm determination to take revenge flickered. ''With that reaction, I don''t have to worry about what happens next.'' The Phantom Thief is not a one-time character who just exits. In the game, he reappears to get revenge on the yer who ruined his ns. ''This time, he''lle for me instead of the yer.'' A more developed Phantom Thief wille back and try to take my life, bing a much more difficult opponent than this time. But fortunately, I had a feeling that Arche''s desire for revenge would be a great help by then. "Um, and..." Arche seemed to have something else to say. But I wasn''t in a position to listen to her leisurely anymore. My ENP was at its maximum, and I was about to lose my mind. And with the n to bring Shin A-sol to the Deconstructionist Department failing, I was in a desperate situation... With my head throbbing from fatigue, I snapped out, "Is there anything else you want to report?" "No, it''s not that. I... ahem! I''m sorry about earlier." Arche suddenly apologized to me with a serious expression. "When I first saw Professor Do, I heard so many strange rumors about you, so honestly, I thought... no, I thought very negatively of you. A lot." Arche seemed to want to be honest with me, emphasizing the word "a lot". It wasn''t surprising when I recalled the gossip she had with her friends on the tram. "But instead, you helped me and recovered the books. You even protected me at risk to yourself." I wondered what she was going to say... It seemed that Arche had been holding a grudge for doubting me. But honestly, I didn''t care. She had just been wary of Do Jin-hak, and that had nothing to do with me. ''After all, I''m a viin...'' I''ve been a viin for hundreds of years in terms of time. The contempt and hatred I receive from humans is nothing to me. "Thank you very much. I will never forget this." Even so, Arche bowed and thanked me. Her words felt sincere. ''...It''s a strange feeling.'' As I watched her, I felt a strange emotion. What is this feeling? Come to think of it, it''s been a very long time since I''ve been thanked by a human like this. Beep- [You havepleted the hidden quest "Gianluca''s Panic".] [Quest evaluation score: S rank.] [As an S-rank achievement reward, your favorability with Gianluca greatly increases.] [The rtionship between Do Jin-hak and Gianluca changes from "acquaintance" to "intimate".] [Due to the deepened rtionship, the other person feels a special bond with you.] [You have acquired the special skill "Dragon Affinity 1" due to the development of your rtionship with Gianluca!] [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 14 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 14 "Dragon Affinity, huh." The next day, I found myself rereading the message over and over. It wasn''t because the message was long or difficult to understand. It was because the ability I''d gained as a reward was so extraordinary. "I had a hunch there might be a hidden quest, but I never thought this would be the reward." Hidden quests in this game, unlike regr quests, don''t provide yers with explicit instructions. That''s why most yers miss them entirely. "Which is why the rewards forpleting them are usually better." When Arche first asked me not to tell anyone about the book theft, I had a vague feeling there was a hidden quest involved. I didn''t know what the reward would be, but I was satisfied as long as Arche didn''t join the rebellion because of it. But Arche''s hidden quest gave me more than I could have imagined. [Dragon Affinity 1: Dragons are extremely arrogant and disdain to speak with inferior species. Because of this, dragons have created their ownnguage to look down on all other races. Dragon Affinity will allow you tomunicate with them on a basic level.] It was literally an ability to empathize with dragons. In this game, every viin and human, in addition to their traits, has their own unique abilities. While traits determine the characteristics of a character''s spells, abilities are like passive skills that automatically activate in specific situations for each character. In my case, [Night n], which gives me a stat boost after dark, is a typical ability for a bloodsucker... "Night n is a pretty rare ability too, but it''s nothingpared to Dragon Affinity." It''s hard to find a creature as powerful as a dragon in this game. Gianluca became one of the rebellion''s most powerful forces because she reached a level of mastery over dragons, thanks to her extremely rare Dragon Affinity. This was an ultra-rare ability that I, despite having acquired countless abilities over the past 137 ythroughs, had never been able to obtain. "I''ve stumbled upon an unexpected treasure." At this rate, I should be thanking Seo Su-kyung. Thanks to avoiding the trap set by that audacious woman during the thief quest, I''ve earned this incredible reward... "Well then, I should return the favor to that guy... Caesar." As I called out his name, theptop screen turned on, and a familiar voice replied. - Awaiting Professor Do Jin-hak''s instructions.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Caesar, the AI assistant of Professor D, was very useful. Especially while studying the Deconstructionist Department in theb, Caesar''s artificial intelligence was of great help to me. I had figured out how to bring Caesar here, even when I was away from theb, by installing an application on myptop and phone. "y Professor Do Jin-hak''s Deconstructionist Department Basics 1." - ying Professor Do Jin-hak''s Deconstructionist Department Basics 1. A hologram of Professor D projected from myptop, his voice filling the room. And then, in that tone of his that always seemed to suggest he thought everyone was beneath him, he began to speak. "I don''t expect much from you lot, but I figured I''d prepared a lecture that even you could understand. Don''t worry, I''ve made it simple enough that anyone with a brain should be able to grasp it." Despite those words, the lecture he''d created for the hologram was still incredibly difficult. Even for someone who had inherited a bit of his essence, like me, it wasn''t easy to understand. I couldn''t fathom what he was thinking when he decided to make something thisplex for beginners... "...It''s better than the first time I heard it, though." While the content was still challenging, it was easier to follow than when I''d only studied the books and listened to the lectures in theb. Since leveling up my trait recently, I''d gained a deeper understanding of Do Jin-hak''s essence, which was proving to be quite helpful. The fundamentals of the Deconstructionist Department. The purpose of deconstruction. The difference in perspective between the micro and macro worlds... Beforeing to this academy, I''d watched these lectures over and over, but I couldn''t tell if they were in humannguage or alien. Now, little by little, the content was starting to sink in. As I gradually understood the lecture, I found myself bing deeply focused without even realizing it. And then, an rm went off in my head. Ding-! [You have begun to understand "Deconstructionist Department Basics 1."] [Having understood a level "Intermediate" lecture, you sense a change in your intelligence.] [Intelligence score has increased.] [Due to the increased intelligence score, your understanding of the Deconstructionist Department has deepened.] ¡°Last week, I saw Chairman Okamoto at the corporate dinner. He was all smiles and brought up your ranking. He even pretended to be kind and rmended a specialist, saying that you might have a health problem.¡± Seo Tae-hee recounted this, her voice calm, but her fists trembled involuntarily, as if she wanted to smash the wine ss she was holding. Seo Su-kyung watched her mother silently, her lips pressed together. ¡°I don''t care about anything else, but don''t lose to Okamoto. Don''t let that old fox look down on our family. If you can do that, the family won''t be able to ignore you. Even if you can''t aim for the position of heir..." "...What kind of nonsense is that?" Seo Su-kyung interrupted her mother sharply at that point. The position of heir to the International Group. It was an extremely sensitive topic, an Achilles'' heel for Seo Su-kyung. She knew it. No matter how hard she tried, she had little chance of bing the heir to the International Group. Seo Su-kyung had a w that was known only to a select few in her family, a w that set her apart from the other contenders. A fatal w that could not be ovee by effort or talent. That''s why Seo Su-kyung had to prove it. That she was the heir, no matter what ws she had. That she was the heir they were all looking for. "Just beat Okamoto? I have to bring everyone above him to his knees too. That''s the only way I can say I''m Seo Tae-hee''s daughter. In this great Seo family." Seo Tae-hee stared at her daughter in surprise. A chilling coldness radiated from Seo Su-kyung''s eyes. "Until then, just focus on supporting me, Mom. Spend money, use people, whatever it takes. Just like you''ve always done." Having said that, Seo Su-kyung began to read the pages rapidly. Seo Tae-hee could only watch, unable to say anything. Seo Su-kyung''s intense focus as she devoured the theoretical texts left her mother breathless. [You have reached Deconstructionist Department level 1.] [You have learned a new spell.] [You have acquired the Deconstructionist Department level 1 spell "X Scan"!] I was a little startled as I reflexively read the message. Achieving Deconstructionist Department level 1. This meant I could officially start using the spells of the Deconstructionist Department. I had thought it would take longer to reach level 1, given how difficult this department was... "...This ythrough might be promising." After Dragon Affinity, now this, reaching level 1 in the Deconstructionist Department. Everything felt right. It was apletely different route from my previous ythroughs, but things were going smoothly. "Still, I need to be cautious." I''d learned that from my 137 deaths. The smoother things went, the more unexpected variables tended to appear. Especially here. "The world of Military Chronicle is especially harsh on viins." Suppressing my excitement, I closed the message window and quickly focused back on Do Jin-hak''s exnation. Tomorrow, my first lecture in the Masterss would finally begin. And Seo Su-kyung would be there. I couldn''t afford to show any ws in front of her, who would be watching me with a hawk''s eye. To perfectly y the role of Do Jin-hak, I concentrated all my attention on the lecture. * * * "Damn it, school starts tomorrow already." Under the gloomy, overcast sky of March, Nam Kang-ik, a student of the Emission Department, spat out phlegm and said to the group of students gathered around the flower bed in front of the campus. "How much longer do I have to endure this damn academy? A talent like me should be sent to the frontlines. That way, those viinous bastards won''t be able to cause any trouble." Expressing his deep dissatisfaction, Nam Kang-ik began to pick and stomp on the flowers in the flower bed. Desperate to be a soldier and make a name for himself on the frontlines, he found school to be nothing but boring. "I''ve been through middle, upper, and primary school. Why the hell do I have to go to school for nearly 20 years? Isn''t life all about real-world experience? Huh? You bunch of idiots." As he vented his frustrations, Nam Kang-ik''s hands grew rougher and rougher, and it seemed like he was about to destroy all the flowers in the flower bed. When the surrounding area became dirty with trampled flowers, the other students of the Emission Department began to look around nervously and tried to stop him. "Hey, don''t you know that''s the vice-principal''s favorite flower bed?" "If he finds out, the vice-principal is going to go ballistic." "Oh yeah? Then how about I stomp on your heads instead of the flowers?" When Nam Kang-ik asked with a glint in his eye, the other students nced at each other and remained silent. Due to the nature of the Emission Department, which taught only attack magic, many of the students had aggressive tendencies. But Nam Kang-ik was particrly vicious, even among them. Known by the nickname "Iron Fist" for his extraordinary fighting skills since he was young, Nam Kang-ik was a man who believed that fists spoke louder than words. There was only one student who could control Nam Kang-ik. "Cut it out. What did the flowers ever do to you? It''s your fault for not being able to pass your graduation exam." "What?" Taken aback by the blunt and honest words, the Emission Department students nced nervously at Nam Kang-ik. If anyone else, even a professor, had said such a thing to Nam Kang-ik, it would have resulted in a bloody incident. However, Nam Kang-ik only red at the other person with fierce eyes, but he didn''t throw a punch. He couldn''t. Because the person who had spoken was none other than Seo Su-kyung, the Sword Saint. Sitting among the students like a queen, Seo Su-kyung looked at Nam Kang-ik with a condescending expression. "Isn''t that right? After attending the academy for three years, you still haven''t even reached level 4 in the Emission Department. How can you possibly graduate?" "Hmph, just because you reached level 4 first, you think you''re so hot stuff!" Although he was annoyed, Nam Kang-ik couldn''t deny Seo Su-kyung''s abilities. The genius she had shown since she was young had been a high wall for him, and a great motivator that he always wanted to surpass. "Just wait. I''ll reach level 5 in one shot this semester." "Good. Keep that attitude. That way, your father will have a little more face at corporate dinners." "Damn it, why do you always bring up my dad?" Nam Kang-ik frowned again. Like Seo Su-kyung, he was a member of a wealthy family, and the topic of his family made his stress levels skyrocket. Unlike the International Group, which had multiple heirs, Nam Kang-ik was the sole heir, and this weighed heavily on his shoulders. "Tsk! This is ruining my mood. Let''s go get a drink. We won''t be able to drink as much starting tomorrow." At Nam Kang-ik''s suggestion to go somewhere nice, the Emission Department students began to move as a group. Only Seo Su-kyung remained indifferent. "Count me out. I have a morning ss tomorrow." "A morning ss? Our ss starts in the afternoon, right?" "That''s the Emission Department. I have a Deconstructionist Department ss in the morning." "Deconstructionist Department?" Surprised by her unexpected response, Nam Kang-ik stared at Seo Su-kyung. "What are you up to now? Taking sses in that crappy department?" "What do you mean ''up to''? It sounds like you''re using me of doing something bad." "Ha! Just ask any of the professors who were manipted by Seo Su-kyung and ended up leaving their teaching positions. They''ll tell you." Nam Kang-ik clicked his tongue, already knowing about Seo Su-kyung''s past actions. He wondered what the new professor of the Deconstructionist Department would be like, but he was sure the professor would end up just like the others. Vroom- Just then, a sedan slowly pulled into the front gate. Seo Su-kyung nced at the car and her expression suddenly changed. "...Anyway, you guys go on ahead. I''m busy now." Saying so, she left her ssmates behind and quickly disappeared. "Tch... She always acts so high and mighty." Nam Kang-ik watched Seo Su-kyung''s retreating figure with a mix of envy and disapproval before heading to a bar with his ssmates. * * * Once outside the campus, Seo Su-kyung walked along the road until the surroundings were quiet. Vroom- A sedan that had been following Seo Su-kyung from a distance was the only thing around. After confirming that there was no one else nearby, Seo Su-kyung quickly walked towards the sedan. Click- The backseat door slid open as Seo Su-kyung approached. As soon as she got into the car, it started to move. She didn''t know where they were going, but Seo Su-kyung wasn''t surprised at all. Instead, she frowned at the woman sitting in the back seat. "I told you not toe to the academy. I don''t want people gossiping." The woman Seo Su-kyung was annoyed with was well over 40, but her posture was straight from head to toe. She replied to Seo Su-kyung''s cold words with an even colder tone. "Is that all you have to say to your mother after all this time?" Seo Tae-hee, Seo Su-kyung''s mother and the owner of the International Group, red at her daughter with an imposing gaze. The two of them stared at each other for a long time, their silent battle finally ending when Seo Su-kyung meekly leaned into her mother''s arms. Seo Tae-hee patted her daughter''s back and said, "I saw you earlier, and it seemed like you were enjoying academy life. I thought you were the queen surrounded by her worker bees." "They''re just ssmates. Are you here to nag me?" "Am I that free? Of course, my daughter should have that kind of influence." Seo Tae-hee pushed Seo Su-kyung away and took a document out of her bag. Seo Su-kyung raised an eyebrow as she took the document and read the title. - Core Theory Analysis of Deconstructionist Department Basics 1, 2, and 3. "I heard you''re taking a minor in the Deconstructionist Department this semester. I heard that the new professor is a very entric person and that not many students are learning properly from him." Seo Tae-hee exined calmly, saying that she had managed to find this material with great difficulty. "I''ve never told you that you have to be the best or that you have to reach the pinnacle. You''ve always done well without me saying those trite things." Although her tone was calm, Seo Su-kyung could tell that there was a hint of bitterness in her elegant voice. "It''s okay that you''re only ranked 5th in your ss. I can understand that. But-" Seo Tae-hee''s eyes suddenly changed, bing fierce. "I can''t just let the fact that the Okamoto family''s child is above you slide. Not even for a moment." The moment the name Okamoto was mentioned, the atmosphere in the car changed drastically. Seo Su-kyung closed her eyes tightly, knowing that this was inevitable. "Our Seo family has been revered as the first founding hero since the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Joseon Dynasty, we led our soldiers in all the Japanese invasions, and during the Japanese colonial period, we helped Kim Gu achieve independence." This again. Seo Su-kyung was tired of hearing this. She had heard this family history countless times. The centuries-old feud between the two families seemed like a fairy tale to Seo Su-kyung, who was born in the 2010s. ''How much longer do I have to listen to this?'' She hated being tied down to this outdated history. But what she hated even more was that she couldn''t simply ignore it. No matter how hard she tried to act nonchnt, she couldn''t deny it. This boiling rage deep within her was the very force that had sustained the Seo family for generations. ¡°Last week, I saw Chairman Okamoto at the corporate dinner. He was all smiles and brought up your ranking. He even pretended to be kind and rmended a specialist, saying that you might have a health problem.¡± Seo Tae-hee recounted this, her voice calm, but her fists trembled involuntarily, as if she wanted to smash the wine ss she was holding. Seo Su-kyung watched her mother silently, her lips pressed together. ¡°I don''t care about anything else, but don''t lose to Okamoto. Don''t let that old fox look down on our family. If you can do that, the family won''t be able to ignore you. Even if you can''t aim for the position of heir..." "...What kind of nonsense is that?" Seo Su-kyung interrupted her mother sharply at that point. The position of heir to the International Group. It was an extremely sensitive topic, an Achilles'' heel for Seo Su-kyung. She knew it. No matter how hard she tried, she had little chance of bing the heir to the International Group. Seo Su-kyung had a w that was known only to a select few in her family, a w that set her apart from the other contenders. A fatal w that could not be ovee by effort or talent. That''s why Seo Su-kyung had to prove it. That she was the heir, no matter what ws she had. That she was the heir they were all looking for. "Just beat Okamoto? I have to bring everyone above him to his knees too. That''s the only way I can say I''m Seo Tae-hee''s daughter. In this great Seo family." Seo Tae-hee stared at her daughter in surprise. A chilling coldness radiated from Seo Su-kyung''s eyes. "Until then, just focus on supporting me, Mom. Spend money, use people, whatever it takes. Just like you''ve always done." Having said that, Seo Su-kyung began to read the pages rapidly. Seo Tae-hee could only watch, unable to say anything. Seo Su-kyung''s intense focus as she devoured the theoretical texts left her mother breathless. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 15 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 15 The first day of the new semester for the Masterss had finally arrived. The recent Phantom Thief incident had be a major issue across the entire academy. It was shocking enough that the thief turned out to be the famous Phantom Thief, but what was even more surprising was the fact that the person who had solved the case was Professor D. "I heard that even the Military Association had a hard time finding the thief. How did he do it?" "And I heard he tore apart Argonia''s one-point radiation with his bare hands." "I heard he just blocked it with one finger." "No, I heard he just blew a puff of air and the mes parted..." Rumors bred rumors, and the rumors swept through the academy like an avnche. By now, a strange shift in perception had begun among the students. "Professor D... Maybe he''s an amazing person?" "Well, they say that geniuses and crazy people are only a thin line apart, right?" Professor D''s image gradually shifted from "a psychopath who does all sorts of crazy things" to "a genius that ordinary people can''t understand." As a result, some students began to think this: "Come to think of it, aren''t all the subjects in the Masterss graded on a rtive curve? Wouldn''t it be better to join a ss with fewer students?" It seemed like a clever idea to aim for a high score in a ss taught by a potentially genius but unpopr professor. Those who signed up for the Deconstructionist Department ss thought they had made a very witty decision that would outsmart everyone else. However, there were two major problems with that judgment. The first was that many more people had the same idea. The second was the fact that there was an unexpected person among those people. "...Why is the Sword Saint sitting there?" The students stared at Seo Su-kyung in the middle of the ssroom as if she were a ghost. The four major main courses in the Masterss. Why on earth had the ace of the Emission Department, one of those four, appeared in this extremely minor ss? "Maybe she has the same goal as us? To easily get points in a minor ss?" "Come on, what does Seo Su-kyung need? She could be at the top of any of the four major departments." Those in the lower rankings, who had been filtered out of the major departments, couldn''t fathom the mind of a genius like Seo Su-kyung. However, that wasn''t the biggest problem. Even if she took first ce in the ss, they could still get a pretty high score bying in second. ''I doubt she''ll lose to us lower-ranked students.'' This was themon sentiment among them, who considered themselves to be rtively goodpared to the others in this ss. That was until the moment the ssroom door opened. Creak- "Huh?" Everyone''s attention focused on the door as it opened. A familiar blond face appeared. The moment they saw that exotic, tanned face, the students felt like denying reality just as much as when they saw Seo Su-kyung. "It''s Arche?" "No way, is she taking the Deconstructionist Department ss too?" "Damn it, this semester is screwed..." The appearance of Gianluca Arche, a special student of the Summoning Department and ranked 7th overall, made the already cold atmosphere in the ssroom even more freezing. However, it wasn''t just the lower-ranked students who were dumbfounded by this situation. Seo Su-kyung and Arche, who had discovered each other''s presence, flinched at the same time when their eyes met. "...Why are you here? The Summoning Department ss is on the other side." "...You''re telling me. The Emission Department ss is in a different building." A cold aura passed between the two of them. The students, well aware of the long-standing animosity between the two, felt like the few seconds of silence stretched into an hour. ¡°Ugh... why do I feel like I can''t breathe?" "Why do these two have to meet here of all ces..." "Someone, please, get me an oxygen mask..." While both were members of the student council, the concept of friendship was sociologically impossible among the top-ranking members of the student council in the Masterss, which was like a jungle where the strong preyed on the weak. And yet, Arche deliberately sat next to Seo Su-kyung, right in the middle of the ssroom. It wasn''t out of some sweet reason like wanting to sit next to a familiar face. It was a clear expression of her intention to not even feel the need to distance herself. That she didn''t care about her existence at all. Provoked by Arche''s provocative choice of seat, Seo Su-kyung''s lips curled slowly. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this? This ss is pretty difficult. It''s very different from the Summoning Department, where all you need is perception.¡± Seo Su-kyung''s remark, delivered with a sneer, was as sharp as her swordsmanship. But her opponent was no pushover either. ¡°You should be more worried about yourself. You''re not used to theoretical sses like this, are you? After all, the Emission Department is just about using your body, not your brain." The students in the ssroom were dumbfounded by the high-level verbal battle, as intense as their rankings. Was this what it meant to verbally beat someone up? "Hmm... a department where you just use your body, huh?" Seo Su-kyung muttered, her eyes downcast. A me was already beginning to ignite in her gaze. "It''s true that the Emission Department does use their bodies a lot. That''s why your library staff wouldn''t have been killed by that thief if they were from the Emission Department." "...What are you talking about?" "I''m talking about your senior librarian who died at the hands of the thief. If she had been from the Emission Department, she wouldn''t have been killed by a mere thief. And neither would you have been yed by a thief for months." Bang-! Arche jumped up from her seat so quickly that her chair fell over. She barely managed to suppress her anger and said with difficulty, "...You''d better take that back." "Oh really? I think it''s pretty good as it is. What would be better?" Seo Su-kyung giggled mischievously as she watched Arche''s fists tremble. The situation was on the verge of exploding. The students in the ssroom felt like they were suffocating from the intense tension between the two. They wished someone would just take them out of this suffocating situation. Creak-! And then, miraculously, the ssroom door opened. The sight of Professor D entering, his ck coat pping behind him, was like an angel to the students. ¡°Professor D...!¡± Seo Su-kyung felt a shiver run down her spine when her eyes met Professor D''s. His gaze was different from before. Then, Professor D spoke. "You all seem to be in high spirits. But I''d appreciate it if you focused more on the ss than on making friends." "...Sorry." Reprimanded in a sharp voice, Seo Su-kyung and Arche took a deep breath and sat back down. Professor D red at the two of them and walked to the lectern. He was carrying arge wheelbarrow with an evenrger boulder on it. The students had no idea what he was going to do with that rock. "What is he going to do with that...?" "That looks really heavy, doesn''t it? How is he carrying it?" "He doesn''t seem that strong..." The students were surprised by Professor D''s unusual first impression, but in fact, this was nothing special. It was simply because viins had slightly higher stats than humans. Standing at the lectern, Professor D addressed everyone. "I''m Do Jin-hak, your new professor for the Deconstructionist Department. I''m sure you''ve all heard of me, so I won''t bother with a detailed introduction. There was no response from the ssroom. The students simply stared at Professor D with somewhat nervous eyes. Professor D smirked and said, "Is my question too difficult? Well, let''s try something easier. You there." He pointed at one of the students. "Why are you taking this ss?" "Me, sir?" "Yes, you. What do you think the Deconstructionist Department is about?" "Uh, well, I mean..." "That''s enough, minus one point." The student''s mouth gaped open as if he had been struck by lightning at the word ''minus''. But Professor D was already looking for his next target. "You, next to him. What do you think the Deconstructionist Department is about?" The next student to be called involuntarily hupped. "Hic, I, I think it''s about studying the weaknesses of viins..." "Enough, minus one point. Next, why did youe here to learn about the Deconstructionist Department?" "I, I wanted to learn how to fight viins more efficiently on the battlefield..." "That''s enough. Minus one point." Points were being deducted rapidly as soon as the ss started. The students'' hearts pounded like drums. In this academy where rankings were determined by a single point difference and could change their lives, Professor D''s words sounded like a judge''s guilty verdict. He clicked his tongue briefly and began to speak. "People envy me, saying that I''ll be teaching amazing students in the Masterss. But I''m shocked at how incredibly amazing you all are. How can you sit here without knowing why you''re here? Are you really students of this academy?" The students could only hang their heads in shame at Professor D''s sarcastic tone. They couldn''t possibly admit their intention of getting easy points in an unpopr ss. "I just took three points from those idiots." Professor D pointed at the three students who had just failed to answer his questions. "If anyone here can answer my question correctly, you can take their three points. Of course, if any of you are capable of that..." "It''s about deconstructing all objects and concepts to understand their essence." Before Professor D could finish his sentence, Arche raised her hand and spoke. "By doing so, you can discover the true nature of viins, which is something you can''t see from the perspective of other departments. That''s what I understand the Deconstructionist Department to be." Everyone in the ssroom, including Seo Su-kyung, looked at Arche as if she was the only one who belonged there. Seo Su-kyung, who was sitting right next to her, clicked her tongue, feeling like she had been beaten to the punch. "That''s a decent answer. Plus one and a half points." Arche raised an eyebrow at Professor D, who spoke with an indifferent expression. "Why one and a half points?" "Because it''s half right and half wrong. The purpose of the Deconstructionist Department is to understand the essence of the world. Discovering the weaknesses and true nature of viins is just a secondary aspect." Professor D turned his gaze away from Arche, who looked puzzled, and walked towards the wheelbarrow. He ced his hand on therge rock and said, "This thing in front of you is what we call a rock. People usually associate it with concepts like hardness, solidity, or worthless minerals." The students began to focus intensely on Professor D''s words, like cosmic dust being sucked into a ck hole. Strangely, they couldn''t think of anything else while listening to him. "But what would other species call it? For example, microscopic organisms that are invisible to our eyes. To them, this could be a. Or maybe some of them think of it as a universe, Caesar." Professor D snapped his fingers, and a hologram of the rock appeared on the lectern. The rock hologram grewrger andrger until it filled the entire ssroom. "Wow... what is this...?" The students looked around the interior of the rock, as if they had be tiny microorganisms. The inside of the rock was filled with countless particles connected to each other, and countless microorganisms were moving around inside it. "What you''re seeing now is a hologram of the inside of this rock. I created it to show you the next part." Professor D raised a hammer and struck the rock. The entire ssroom was illuminated with a sh of light as the world inside the rock surged violently. At the same time, some of the particles within the rock shattered, and Professor D continued his exnation. "From a microorganism''s perspective, this rock isn''t a solid stone, but a collection of particles that make up a vast world. And within it, there are weak points that can be easily destroyed with a gentle tap of a hammer." Arche couldn''t help but gasp. Professor D''s lecture, which so vividly visualized such an abstract concept, was truly impressive. However, Seo Su-kyung had a different opinion. "But we''re not microorganisms," she asked cynically, while everyone else in the ssroom was marveling at Professor D''s exnation. "I understand what you''re trying to say. Even the hardest rock has its vulnerabilities, but how can humans find them?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Having already read various papers and materials on the Deconstructionist Department, she wasn''t particrly surprised by Professor D''s lecture. She was more interested in practical spells than these abstract theories. Do Jin-hak smirked at her and replied, "Thank you for answering my question for me. That''s exactly what I''m going to teach you." Professor D chanted a spell, and a blue sma shot out from his fingertips, enveloping the rock. Instantly, a clear X mark appeared on the upper left side of the rock. Professor D struck that spot with all his might. CRASH-! The rock shattered into pieces with a much louder sound than before. The students were speechless as they watched the rock crumble with a single blow. "This spell is called ''X-Mark''. It''s a spell that uses ether to scan the internal structure of an object like an X-ray. It''s the most basic spell of the Deconstructionist Department and what you''ll be learning this semester." In reality, he had only learned the spell the day before, but of course, the students didn''t know that. They were simply excited by the power of the spell. Seo Su-kyung''s eyes sparkled as if they were about to light up. "So, before we start learning the spell, let me ask you again. Who can tell me why the Deconstructionist Department is necessary?" Seo Su-kyung raised her hand faster than anyone else. "Because human perception has clear limitations. Humans can only perceive about 5% of the universe through their senses, so we''re bound to have many biases, aren''t we?" Seo Su-kyung perfectly recited the contents of the papers she had read beforehand. Professor D nodded slowly. "And so?" "So, we need to discard all our preconceptions and expand our human perception as much as possible. By doing so, we might be able to find new ways to change the long-standing pattern of battles against viins. Isn''t that the reason for the existence of the Deconstructionist Department?" The students gasped at her fluent exnation. They whispered among themselves, saying that Arche''s exnation had seemed weak inparison. ''I can''t let this country bumpkin beat me.'' Seo Su-kyung nced at Arche with a triumphant expression. ¡®And the audacity of someone ranked 7th trying to form a rivalry with me. That''s just crossing the line.¡¯ Professor D smiled and said, "Very good. That''s an amazing answer." Seo Su-kyung nodded, satisfied. "Thank you." "You''re wee. It was sarcastic. It was an incredibly stupid answer." "...What?" Seo Su-kyung thought she must have misheard. She had never been called stupid in her life. But the shocked expressions of the students around her told her that she hadn''t. Professor D said in a cold voice, "As you said, this department is a ce where we discard all fixed notions to see the true nature of the world. Yet, you''re reciting the same old, outdated information I taught my previous sses word for word. I don''t know where you heard it, but..." "!!!" Seo Su-kyung''s heart sank. She hadn''t realized that studying the lecture materials so thoroughly would backfire like this. "From now on, when youe to my ss, leave all your preconceived notions at the door. As a penalty for that, I''ll give you minus three points." "Three, three points?" The students murmured even louder at the unexpectedlyrge deduction. Even for Seo Su-kyung, who was ranked 5th, minus three points on the first day was a fatal blow. "Now, let''s start learning the spell. To engrave the spell, you must first discard all the fixed notions that humans have..." Ignoring Seo Su-kyung, who was too shocked to speak, Professor D continued his lecture. The students couldn''t take their eyes off Seo Su-kyung, who was sitting silently in her seat. "Wow, this is the first time I''ve seen the Sword Saint get scolded like this in ss." "I know, right? The professor is even scarier than I thought..." "It feels kind of good, doesn''t it? She always acted so high and mighty..." They whispered softly, but their words were loud enough for Arche to hear. Arche quietly watched Seo Su-kyung, who was sitting next to her, trying to suppress her anger. Her fists were trembling, as if she was trying with all her might to control her rage. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 16 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 16 On the first day of the new semester, in the student council room. Shin A-sol stared nkly at theputer screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. The words "[How to Destroy a Barrier''s Medium from the Outside]" stared back at her in bold, mocking her empty document. "I don''t know what to write!" she groaned, running a hand through her hair. How did she end up in this mess? All she''d wanted to do was catch a thief, but somehow she''d ended up smashing the academy¡¯s prized statue. And now, instead of detention, she had to write a paper exining the science behind it. ¡°They told me to find the thief? I broke the statue trying to catch the thief, so why do I have to write this?¡± Destroying the statue in the swimming pool was a necessary step in solving the case, in her opinion. Shin A-sol felt deeply wronged that she was being punished for trying so hard to catch the thief. However, the vice principal didn¡¯t see it that way. When he saw the shattered statue, he clutched at his neck and was rushed to the hospital. "Apparently, that statue cost over a billion won. It was much more expensive than it looked," Okamoto had muttered, shaking his head. "I can see why he fainted. He would have demanded fullpensation from you if it weren¡¯t for the professors shielding you. You should be grateful they let you off with just writing a paper." Okamoto clicked his tongue in disbelief as he recalled the professors gathered around the shattered statue. "This is the first time this statue has been destroyed since the academy was founded. How did you do it?" "...What? You smashed it with your shield? That''s impossible! How could that be?" "It''s more believable if you told me you cracked a rock with an egg!" "Exin in detail how you were able to directly damage the statue within the barrier. Describe the principle, structure, and the circumstances. Don''t miss a single detail!" Unlike the vice principal, the professors were more interested in studying Shin A-sol''s incredible strength that allowed her to shatter the statue. They convinced the vice principal that Shin A-sol''s ability to break through the barrier was more valuable than the statue itself, and as a result, she was able to avoid payingpensation and instead was assigned to write this paper. "You''re always causing trouble without thinking, but somehow you always manage to get out of it. What''s your secret? How do you keep from getting expelled after causing so much chaos? Teach me your ways..." Okamoto''s yful grin faltered as he abruptly mped his mouth shut. He''d seen Shin A-sol''s hand move towards the shield leaning against the wall. Shin A-sol fiddled with the shield, her eyes narrowed in thought. Finally, she sighed and said, "Cut the crap and help me. You saw everything that happened. You must have some idea about the theory behind it." It was true. While Shin A-sol was more of a doer than a thinker, Okamoto was the opposite. In fact, he had quickly grasped the principle behind Shin A-sol''s barrier-breaking technique after witnessing it at the pool. "Well, I don''t know everything..." "I knew you''d say that. Just give me a hint!" Okamoto hesitated, looking at Shin A-sol, who was practically begging him for help. Shin A-sol was ranked third overall in the previous semester. Okamoto was ranked one spot below her, in fourth ce. He didn''t think he was foolish enough to help apetitor just because they were friends. ''Normally, I would have scoffed and refused,'' he thought. But he couldn''t easily dismiss her this time. After all, it was Shin A-sol. "Well, I suppose I could help you a little..." "Really? Thank you! So, how should I start the first paragraph?" "But I can''t just help you for nothing." "Aw, don''t be stingy..." Shin A-sol pouted, and Okamoto pretended to be busy. "Do you think I have nothing better to do? The whole Alchemy Department is in an uproar because the ''Garden'' is suddenly malfunctioning." "The Garden? Why is it broken all of a sudden?" Shin A-sol was startled. Even after being at this academy for so long, she had never heard of the Garden malfunctioning. "How should I know? Anyway, the departments that rely on the Garden for materials are in a panic. I¡¯m helping you out of the kindness of my heart, despite being so busy.¡± "Fine, fine. What do you want? I''ll do anything!" Okamoto''s heart raced at her promise. He desperately wanted to ask her what she would do. ¡®Okay, I¡¯ve got her hooked!¡¯ In truth, the story about the Garden was just an excuse. Unlike the other students, Okamoto''s family was a major corporation, so he could easily obtain alchemy materials outside of the academy. ¡®Stay calm. I need to y this right¡­¡¯ He knew that going too far would ruin everything, so he tried to hide his excitement. "Well, then, how about we go see a movie this weekend..." "What? A movie? Out of the blue?" ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s a movie I¡¯ve been wanting to see. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to hang out with you or anything! I just really wanted to see this movie¡­¡± Shin A-sol chuckled and pulled out her phone. "Oh,e on. If that''s all it takes, I''ll show you ten more times. Just book your own ticket. I don''t really like watching movies." "What, what? Wait a minute!" Okamoto hastily tried to stop Shin A-sol from booking the movie tickets on her phone. "It''s not polite to make a guy watch a movie alone, is it?" "What does that have to do with being polite..." "It does! I''m helping you with your paper! You shoulde with me to the movie and keep mepany! And buy me popcorn and a c! That''s only fair!" Shin A-sol looked dumbfounded at Okamoto''s outburst. Realizing he''d gotten carried away, Okamoto tried to salvage the situation. "Ahem... What I mean is, movies are more fun when you watch them with someone else." "You didn''t have to yell about it... Anyway, then just book two tickets. But what movie are we going to see?" Okamoto hesitated for a moment. For the past few years, Okamoto Daichi, 21 years old, had been guarding Shin A-sol from countless suitors at this academy. He had been putting on a convincing act as her friend all this time, and finally, the opportunity had arrived to take their rtionship to the next level. ¡®What should I suggest? Maybe an action movie?¡¯ Considering Shin A-sol''s usual preference for fighting over anything else, an action movie seemed like the logical choice. However, no matter how much he thought about it, he didn''t think watching an action movie together would significantly change their concrete rtionship. ¡®Alright, this is it! I have to go for it!¡¯ Okamoto made up his mind. It was now or never. A romantic movie was the only answer. Okamoto Daichi was finally going to be a man! Just as he was about to muster up the courage to speak, the door suddenly opened, and a familiar face appeared. It was the worst possible timing. That girl. His mortal enemy. It was Seo Su-kyung. ¡®Damn it! Why does she always show up at the worst times!¡¯ Okamoto scowled as if he had seen a viinous army. On the other hand, Seo Su-kyung, who was carrying a heavy load on her back, looked at the two of them in turn before walking towards them with a stern expression. Something seemed ominous. In a gloomy voice, she said, "...Why are you always hanging around A-sol? Do you like her or something?" "Hup!" Taken aback by her direct question, Okamoto coughed repeatedly. Shin A-sol looked at Seo Su-kyung strangely and said, "What are you talking about? There''s nothing wrong with friends hanging out together." "Tch, friends...?" Okamoto was once again plunged into despair at Shin A-sol''s clear rejection. However, the unfortunate young man''s troubles were far from over. As if a good idea hade to her, Shin A-sol pped her hands and said to Seo Su-kyung, "Oh, right! Su-kyung, do you want toe with us to the movies?" "Movies?" "Yeah. Okamoto wants to see a movie. We''re going to see it this weekend." ¡°What? This guy asked you to go to a movie with him...?" Okamoto couldn''t bear to look at Seo Su-kyung. Even without looking, he could feel her scornful gaze burning into the side of his head. Sensing the tense atmosphere, Okamoto quickly changed the subject. ¡°What are you doing here all of a sudden? Oh, right, I heard you signed up for the Deconstructionist Department. What are you up to now?¡± ¡°Deconstructionist Department? Su-kyung, is that true?,¡± Shin A-sol asked in surprise. ¡°Why are you taking Professor D¡¯s ss? You know that guy has a bad reputation, right?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m just doing it for fun. Don¡¯t worry about it. But¡­¡± Instead of answering, Seo Su-kyung emptied her backpack onto the desk. Weapons like swords, axes, and hammers tumbled out. ¡°Enchant these with a divine spell. The highest level you can manage. You can do that, right?¡± ¡°What...? Are you ordering me around?¡± Okamoto was dumbfounded. It was absurd that she would suddenly show up and demand such a thing, but what was even more absurd was that it was Seo Su-kyung. ¡°Why should I do that for you? Especially someone who ranks lower than me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get so cocky. Your score is only ten points higher than mine.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? That¡¯s why there was a rumor that you smashed all the TVs and refrigerators in the girls¡¯ dormitory after thest ranking announcement because you couldn¡¯t catch up to those ten points.¡± Okamoto continued to provoke her with a smug grin. She had to show up at the worst possible time and ruin his ns! He wanted to do everything he could to ruin her mood. But that was a mistake. Seo Su-kyung wasn¡¯t in the mood to be messed with today. Seo Su-kyung pierced him with a cold gaze and replied, ¡°...Speaking of rumors, something came to mind.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I heard a rumor that you created Orichalcum using a tungsten alloy during the alchemy examst semester. And that¡¯s how you got the top score, right?¡± Shin A-sol looked at Okamoto in surprise. ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing! I heard that even professors find it difficult to create Orichalcum through alchemy.¡± ¡°Well, well... it wasn¡¯t easy, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Okamoto was immediately filled with pride as Shin A-sol looked at him with admiration. But Seo Su-kyung wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°But I also heard that you used the ¡®blood of a dragon-cursed fetus¡¯ as a material to create that Orichalcum. I wonder how you got something like that.¡± ¡°Fetus... blood? Ugh... you used something like that as a material?¡± Shin A-sol looked at Okamoto with disgust. Okamoto¡¯s face turned pale. When he saw Seo Su-kyung smirking, his heart sank. ¡®How did she find out about that?!¡¯ It was true that he had secretly used the fetus¡¯s blood during the examst semester. It was necessary to use such a rare and powerful material to transmute amon metal like tungsten into Orichalcum. Of course, it was a crime, but this was Masterss. In this academy, there was nothing you wouldn¡¯t do to get a higher score. ¡®But even my professor doesn¡¯t know that I secretly used the fetus¡¯s blood... I was so careful about it¡­¡¯ How could someone like Seo Su-kyung, who had nothing to do with alchemy, know about such a secret? Okamoto was suddenly terrified of the information that his arch-nemesis possessed. ¡®I wonder how much she knows, and what else she''s turning a blind eye to.¡¯ Seo Su-kyung slowly opened her mouth and leaned in close to his ear. Her voice was a low whisper, prating his eardrums. "If you don''t want to get screwed, do as I say. I''m in a bad mood, so don''t mess with me, you piece of shit." A shiver ran down his spine as her icy voice pierced his eardrums and seemed to echo in his brain. Without realizing it, Okamoto nodded. * * * ¡°Hey, I heard you took Professor D¡¯s ss. How was it?¡± After the first day of ss, a group of students gathered outside the main building, chatting about their sses. The main topic of conversation was, of course, the infamous Professor D¡¯s Deconstructionist ss. They were eager to hear from anyone who had taken it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I heard he teaches really tough. They say someone even dropped out on the first day in another academy.¡± ¡°I bet you couldn''t understand a thing. Professor D''s sses are so difficult they''re known all over Europe." The students clicked their tongues, looking pityingly at the student who had taken the ss. However, the student who had taken the Deconstructionist ss shook their head firmly. ¡°It was definitely difficult, but it was definitely worth learning.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You guys will never know. You have no idea how amazing Professor D¡¯s ss is. I had a huge realization today.¡± The student''s eyes sparkled as if they had discovered the meaning of life, causing the other students to whisper that they must have been so shocked they''d lost their minds. "...That''s a pretty good reaction." Listening to the conversation from below the professor''s office window, I closed the window and sat down. I reread the message in front of me. [The students who attended your lecture were deeply impressed.] [The Deconstructionist Department scores of the students who attended the lecture have increased.] [The overall favorability of students towards Do Jin-hak has increased.] [Do Jin-hak''s reputation score has increased by -40!] My first lecture impersonating Professor D had been a sess. None of the students in the ss had doubted my identity or thought the lecture was subpar. In fact, they were so impressed they spent the entire ss in awe. "Do Jin-hak''s lectures are pretty solid." The only problem with Do Jin-hak''s lectures was that he was too much of a genius to effectively teach ordinary students. If someone couldn''t understand him, he thought they must have a brain made of poop. "He''s never lived with an ordinary brain." That was why Professor D''s sses were notoriously difficult. He couldn''t understand why others couldn''t understand him. But I was different. I wasn''t a genius like him. I managed to understand the basics of the Deconstructionist ss, which was only a small fraction of his knowledge, and was able to simplify it enough for the students. It seemed to work perfectly. "Well, not perfectly for everyone." I nced back at the bottom of the message. [Seo Su-kyung''s favorability towards Do Jin-hak has decreased significantly.] [The rtionship between Do Jin-hak and Seo Su-kyung has changed from ''acquaintances'' to ''ufortable''.] While the overall favorability of the students had increased, one person stood out. Seo Su-kyung, who had stormed out of the ss, had be hostile. Once a rtionship bes hostile in the military strategy rtionship system, it bes very difficult to restore it. That was exactly what I wanted. ¡®That family could easily get their hands on Deconstructionist Department¡¯s lecture materials.¡¯ Seo Tae-hee, Seo Su-kyung¡¯s mother, was known for her excessive love for her daughter. She would go to hell and back for her only child. Knowing this, I had prepared my lecture with the intention of humiliating Seo Su-kyung. If I didn¡¯t, she would find a way to exploit Do Jin-hak. ¡°There¡¯s no need to keep Seo Su-kyung around now that Gianluca is in the Deconstructionist Department.¡± The vice principal¡¯s quest to elevate the status of the Deconstructionist ss could be easily achieved with Arche alone. Seo Su-kyung was too dangerous to keep close. I had managed to get through today¡¯s lecture, but if I continued, she would eventually suspect my true identity. It would be best if she left on her own ord, but... ¡°With her stubborn personality, she won¡¯t give up easily.¡± After humiliating her in front of the students, she would definitely try to get revenge. However, I wasn''t too worried. I could predict her next move. ¡°I¡¯ve collected plenty of data on Seo Su-kyung over the 137 times I¡¯ve died.¡± It was the evolved, powerful Seo Su-kyung that was truly terrifying, not the mere student she was now. The current Seo Su-kyung was nothing more than a pawn in my hands... Grrr... [Mental state is deteriorating due to blood thirst.] [ENP status is unstable.] [ENP is rapidly increasing.] [Find blood before your ENP reaches its maximum!] [Current ENP: 120/180] ¡°...It¡¯s already this low?¡± I must have exerted too much energy during the lecture. Due to my hunger, my ENP status was bing unstable, causing my stats to increase more rapidly with each action. I rummaged through the bag where I had hidden my blood packs. Rustle- ...... ...... ...... They were empty. All the blood packs I had brought from theb werepletely drained. ¡°I used them up faster than I expected.¡± I had used an unexpected amount of energy right after arriving at academy. But that wasn¡¯t a problem. There was plenty of blood in this academy. ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s go get something to eat.¡± Click- I opened the door to my office with a lighter step. My mood was good, but not just because the lecture had gone well. As a vampire, no matter how many delicacies I ate, I could never feel satisfied. For me, the time to feed was both disgusting and one of the few pleasures in life. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 17 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 17 ¡°Next stop, ¡®D District¡¯. Please exit on the right...¡± It waste at night, and the moonlight was quite bright. I stepped off the tram and looked around at the buildings in D District. I''d been to this ce many times , but seeing it again was a whole different experience. "Though, I don''t have many good memories ofing here." D District was a collection of various buildings and facilities, with the [Medical Center] being the most prominent. As the name suggests, this area housed all medical departments and served as the equivalent of a university hospital in Masterss. In other words, unless you were a student in a rted field or had a serious injury, there was no reason toe here. "I lost a lot of money here in the game." A hospital that charged you a month''s living expenses for a simple cold prescription. It was a ce as greedy as Masterss''s reputation suggested, but it was also equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. I was here for one reason: therge quantities of blood stored here. [Medical Supply Production Facility] I found the building ording to the sign and carefully made my way inside. The night-time security system was activated, but it wasn''t a problem for me. -Beep, identity verified. Professor Do Jin-hak. Click- When I presented my professor''s ID, the sensor activated, and the entrance to the facility opened. This just goes to show why so many people wanted to be professors at Masterss. As the world''s top military training institution, the facilities in this academy were among the best in the world. Being able to use them without any significant restrictions was a huge advantage. "The blood bank is... here?" I opened the freezer door, revealing rows of frozen blood packs. Bright red blood, belonging to unknown individuals. "I could just take a few of these without anyone noticing..." I hesitated before putting the blood packs in my bag. There was a significant problem with the blood packs. The biggest issue was that they were too conspicuous. "That was a problem during the Phantom Thief incident too." I couldn''t walk around with blood packs in a ce filled with people. For a blood demon who needed a constant supply of blood, this was a critical issue. "To drink blood without raising suspicion..." I looked at the building''s internal structure diagram on the wall and pondered for a moment. Then, I grabbed a few blood packs and left the storage room. I entered the production facility. I took the blood packs out of my bag and poured them into the production machine. -Beep, starting soft capsule production process. I turned on the machine, and therge production machines began to slowly turn. "If I make them into pills, no one will suspect anything." It was a way to discreetly replenish my blood without attracting attention. When I was a viin, I didn''t have to go through such trouble. Back then, I could simply grab any human and drink their blood without consequence. But not in this academy. I had to be careful not to draw attention to myself.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Thud, thud, thud... The gtinous blood capsules, mixed together in the production machine, tumbled out. I popped a few of the capsules into my mouth. The soft, sticky taste of the not-quite-dry blood filled my mouth. Gulp- Beep- [You have consumed a food item suitable for a bloodsucker''s constitution.] [Your hunger has decreased, and your mind is clear and focused.] [Your ENP is stabilizing.] As the message appeared, my thirst was quickly quenched, and I felt refreshed. I couldn''t help but let out a bitterugh. To think I could feel such happiness from just a few pills made from blood... "...I''ve truly be a monster." Blood obtained through a blood-sucking spell was the only way to strengthen a bloodsucker''s abilities. Consuming blood like this was simply to satisfy my hunger. Yet, I found myself enjoying this method of consuming blood more and more with each passing cycle. The more I felt this way, the more I wanted to escape this cursed body. Could I escape this ce within this cycle? * * * "This is taking longer than I expected." Even after 10 minutes, the capsules didn''t seem to be drying. I had no choice. I had to make a lot at once while I was here. "If I keeping back and forth to this building, people will get suspicious." As it was, Professor D wasn''t very popr at the academy, and I didn''t want to draw more attention to myself. It was lucky that it waste at night and everyone had gone home, but if someone saw me now... "Is someone in there?" Just as I thought that, I heard someone''s voice. ''Who could be here at this hour?'' The blood capsules were still in the process of drying. The pile of bright red, gtinous pills would look suspicious to anyone. I tried to quickly hide the pills, but someone had already opened the door to the production room. Two piercing, wolf-like eyes. Snow-white hair, carelessly swept back. Abat suit that fit him perfectly. A sword in one hand... I knew this man. I couldn''t not know him. ''Kim Taekhee...!'' He was a leading professor in the Emission Department, one of the most prestigious of the 13 departments at Masterss. ''Why is he here at this time of night?'' My heart pounded nervously. As a full-time professor of the Emission Department, Kim Taekhee was a highly respected elite soldier. He had exceptionalbat abilities and was known to ughter viins on the battlefield like a top-tier soldier. The biggest problem was that he was a stubborn and principled person who always wore hisbat uniform and carried a sword. ''If Kim Taekhee finds out about these pills...'' It would be the end. There would be no way to exin myself. "...So it''s the new Deconstructionist professor." Kim Taekhee seemed to already know about Do Jin-hak. His gaze swept over me coldly. I tried to block his view of the blood capsules by slightly turning my body. I tried to act as natural as possible, pretending to be Do Jin-hak. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anyone to be here at this time. I was just using the machine to make some medicine.¡± ¡°Medicine?¡± Kim Taekhee¡¯s gaze moved towards the still-running production machine. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing a spell. There was virtually no chance of me defeating Kim Taekhee at my current level. And since I had just fed, I couldn¡¯t rely on the full power of [Hungry ws]... ¡°...Making medicine at this hour.¡± Kim Taekhee¡¯s lips curved slightly upwards, as if he had realized something. ¡°It seems Professor Do, you¡¯ve alsoe here because of the [Garden] problem. After all, this is the only ce in the academy where you can get medicine.¡± ¡°...The Garden?¡± ¡°Surely you don¡¯t know? The herbs in the Garden have all rotted.¡± I was momentarily confused by thispletely unexpected turn of events. ¡®The herbs in the Garden have all rotted? So suddenly?¡¯ I didn¡¯t know that. It had never happened in the game. The Garden was like a treasure trove of Masterss, and they would never let the herbs rot. ¡®If the herbs have rotted¡­¡¯ There was only one possible exnation. It was the night of the full moon when I killed the tree spirit. ¡®Could it be that the spirit was helping to maintain the Garden?¡¯ It was entirely possible. Tree spirits were known to be capricious, and if they were in a good mood, they would bless flowers and trees. If the tree spirit had been nurturing the herbs after eating the sacred tree fruit... Then the current state of the garden made sense. ¡°Isn''t that strange?¡± Kim Taekhee''s eyes narrowed as he spoke. ¡°The Garden has never withered since the academy was founded, and yet this happened. Especially right after you came to this academy.¡± Kim Taekhee clearly believed I was the culprit. using someone without any evidence... What an audacious man. ¡®Of course, I did do it.¡¯ I tried to maintain a calm demeanor, pretending to be clueless. But Kim Taekhee continued. ¡°I thought people would see you differently after solving the campus theft case, but you can¡¯t fool me.¡± ¡°Fool you? You sound like I¡¯m plotting something.¡± There was a hint of sarcasm in his tone, but it was filled with conviction. I felt a strange sense of unease. ¡®Something feels off.¡¯ Although I had been treated with suspicion as Do Jin-hak before, this felt different. Before, it was based on rumors and spection, but now it felt like he knew me personally. ¡°You speak as if you know me very well. Have we met somewhere before?¡± I asked out of curiosity, but Kim Taekhee¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°...Are you saying you don''t remember? The Genoa Academy incident two years ago?¡± Two years ago? An academy? My mouth went dry. My worst fears were confirmed. ¡®Oh no, I don¡¯t think Kim Taekhee has met Do Jin-hak before.¡¯ In the game''s story, Kim Taekhee and Do Jin-hak were simply rivals, but there was no mention of any past incidents between them. Judging by the tense atmosphere, something must have happened at the academy two years ago. ¡®How was I supposed to know that?¡¯ The cold gaze fixed on me felt like a noose around my neck. Kim Taekhee was waiting for me to stammer out some excuse, his eyes filled with suspicion. My mind raced, but I couldn''t think of anything. ¡®...Wait, why do I need to make an excuse?¡¯ I realized something. Do Jin-hak wasn¡¯t the type to make excuses or apologize. He was too arrogant for that. I decided to respond nonchntly. ¡°...Genoa, now that you mention it, I think there was such an academy.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, my brain cells aren¡¯t idle enough to remember every trivial detail.¡± I could practically hear Kim Taekhee¡¯s forehead twitch. The senior professor of the Emission Department managed to suppress his anger and spoke. ¡°...You¡¯re still the same. Arrogant and insolent, just like you were two years ago.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± When I continued to be brazen, Kim Taekhee¡¯s hand, gripping his sword, trembled. However, despite his anger, he didn''t seem to doubt my identity. ¡®Good, I almost got caught. Whatever happened in Genoa, it must not have been pleasant for him.¡¯ I seemed to have narrowly escaped a dangerous situation. It turned out that acting like Do Jin-hak was the right choice. Ding-! [You have obtained a hint from a conversation with someone who knows Do Jin-hak.] [Your understanding of Do Jin-hak has deepened.] [Do Jin-hak''s essence has increased by 15%] A message appeared on my mind. Before I could read it properly, Kim Taekhee warned me in a low voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know why the Vice Principal brought someone like you to this academy, but you should be careful. Many professors who came and went from Masterss ended up as corpses at the bottom of the Han River.¡± Despite the polite tone, his words were filled with malice. Kim Taekhee turned and left without waiting for a reply. I didn''t pay attention to his words because I was focused on the message. ¡°Do Jin-hak¡¯s essence increased by 15%. Lucky me.¡± What a reward for an unexpected situation. This game might drive people crazy, but it was certainly a masterpiece. It had a knack for surprising people at unexpected moments. ¡°So Kim Taekhee and Do Jin-hak have a history.¡± In Masterss, Kim Taekhee was like the dean of a university. In terms of rank, he was second only to the Vice Principal. Compared to him, Do Jin-hak was just a non-tenured professor who could be fired at any time. ¡°...I can already see where this is going.¡± The more I acted like Do Jin-hak, the more mysterious he became. ¡°And my situation is probably even worse than his.¡± Considering the nature of this world, where every obstacle is designed to kill viins like me, it was obvious. Fortunately, I wasn''tpletely helpless. My 137 ythroughs weren''t entirely wasted. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to make the first move.¡± Now that I knew about my history with Kim Taekhee, I might be able to get ahead of him. In fact, I needed to. It was the only way I could survive in this academy. ¡°The withered garden¡­¡± Kim Taekhee might think he was warning me, but he had actually given me a valuable clue. The garden was one of Masterss¡¯s greatest treasures. ¡°There must be people who would be greatly affected if the garden was ruined.¡± I took out my phone and sent a text to one of the few numbers saved in it. The recipient was the Vice Principal of the academy, Oh Ji-sung. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 18 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 18 "Are you enjoying your time at the academy, Professor Do?" The next day, at the Untni cafe, a famous spot in the main campus building. As soon as I met with Vice Principal Oh Ji-sung, a questpletion message appeared. [Main Quest 2: Raise the Status of the Deconstructionist Department!] [Current status of the Deconstructionist Department is as follows:] [Number of students: Major 6, Minor 15] [Department Ranking: 12] [Questpletion conditions have been met!] [Character experience points will increase as a quest reward!]N?v(el)B\\jnn [Vice Principal¡¯s favorability towards Do Jin-hak has increased!] [One bad ending route has been eliminated!] ¡®As expected.¡¯ I sighed in relief after checking the message. Compared to the first day when there were less than 10 students, both majors and minorsbined, the number had increased several times. ¡®I guess I¡¯ve been pretty lucky.¡¯ The increase in Do Jin-hak¡¯s reputation due to the Phantom Thief quest and Arche choosing Deconstructionist as a minor subject were unexpected results. And because my first lecture was well-received, the number of students enrolling in my ss increased significantly. ¡®I don¡¯t know how long this willst.¡¯ At Masterss, students could freely choose which department to take sses in during the semester. If I continued to teach in the Do Jin-hak style, it was certain that the number of students would decrease in the future, but... ¡®It¡¯s not my problem anymore.¡¯ One bad ending route had already been eliminated bypleting the quest. I didn¡¯t need to worry about the department¡¯s ranking anymore. Beep- [However, if the Deconstructionist Department¡¯s status falls to the bottom again, the reward may be canceled!] Just as I was thinking that I didn¡¯t need to worry, a follow-up message appeared, as if to say, ¡®Not so fast.¡¯ ¡®...It could be canceled?¡¯ I pretended to look at Oh Ji-sung¡¯s face while reading the message and clicked my tongue inwardly. This meant that the Vice Principal¡¯s quest wasn¡¯tpletely over. Usually, quests in military games were rarely canceled once the conditions were met. ¡®The person who gave me the quest must be really petty.¡¯ It was clear that this was a special case caused by Oh Ji-sung¡¯s stingy personality. What a disagreeable person. ¡°Ha ha! The coffee beans at Untni are of excellent quality today!¡± Without realizing that I was cursing him in my mind, Oh Ji-sung took a sip of his coffee and said with a satisfied expression. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ve heard rumors. Your lectures are said to be excellent, Professor Do.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too modest. I heard that two student council members are taking your Deconstructionist ss? That¡¯s quite a topic of conversation on campus.¡± Despite the many objections, the Vice Principal, who had brought Do Jin-hak in, looked quite pleased with himself. ¡°And to think that you even caught that damned thief. You¡¯ve done a great job right from the start.¡± Oh Ji-sung chuckled, saying that people who had criticized him for bringing Do Jin-hak in now couldn¡¯t look him in the eye. ¡®If he¡¯s so happy, why doesn¡¯t he give me a decent reward?¡¯ I nced at the iced Americano I¡¯d been given and scoffed inwardly. ¡°Speaking of which, about that satchel the thief had...¡± The Vice Principal cleared his throat. ¡°I heard it had a Dimensional Inventory spell on it, is that right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Did you happen to take it, Professor Do? That bag?¡± ¡°The thief took it. It seemed like an important item, as she took it with her while escaping.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Oh Ji-sung clicked his tongue. Disappointment was clear on his face. It seemed he had nned to confiscate the bag if I had it, using various excuses. ¡®He probably thought he could sell an item with a Dimensional Inventory spell for a good price.¡¯ Oh Ji-sung coughed and changed the subject. ¡°Ahem... Anyway, that thief was persistent. Actually, to catch him, I had ced a irvoyance spell on several security cameras around the academy.¡± ¡°A irvoyance spell?¡± A irvoyance spell allows one to see through objects like bags or clothing. In the game¡¯s setting, it¡¯s usually used directly on people, but it can also be applied to electronic devices like cameras. ¡°But it must have cost a fortune to install such a spell on electronic devices.¡± ¡°Exactly my point. I spent a lot of money adding the irvoyance function, and who would have thought that the thief would be carrying a bag like that?¡± The Vice Principalined for a while about how he had wasted money trying to catch the thief using the security cameras with the irvoyance function. ¡°Anyway...! What is it? Why did you suddenly ask to meet?¡± After venting his frustration, Oh Ji-sung crossed his legs arrogantly and put a cigar in his mouth. I got straight to the point. ¡°Actually, I heard that there¡¯s a problem with the Garden.¡± When I mentioned the garden, the Vice Principal¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Ugh... You¡¯ve heard the rumors too. It¡¯s a real headache. Those herbs are so valuable...¡± Then his gaze shifted, and he looked at me intently. ¡°Some people are saying that these problems started happening right after you arrived. I mean, what a ridiculous usation...¡± Despite his words, Oh Ji-sung''s eyes were quickly and closely examining my expression. ¡®This damn man was suspicious of me all along.¡¯ ¡°...It¡¯s a real problem that the garden has be like this. Many professors must be in trouble.¡± ¡°Trouble? It¡¯s more than that! The departments that rely heavily on herbs are in chaos. And to make matters worse, students have been climbing Dragon Mountain to find herbs.¡± ¡°Dragon Mountain?¡± Dragon Mountain was the name of the mountain behind the Masterss campus. However, due to the thick fog that covered it 365 days a year, it was off-limits. ¡°I haven¡¯t told anyone outside yet...¡± The Vice Principal looked around nervously and lowered his voice. ¡°Apparently, some Alchemy students went up Dragon Mountain to look for herbs and have gone missing. What a bunch of idiots! There are other mountains they could climb...!¡± ¡°Then we should form a search party.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! If we do that, people outside will find out, and they¡¯ll start asking why students were climbing foggy Dragon Mountain to collect herbs!¡± Oh Ji-sung eximed. If people found out why the students had climbed Dragon Mountain, the fact that the Masterss''s prized garden had been ruined would also be revealed, and the reputation of Masterss, which had already been tarnished by the theft incident, would suffer further. ¡®It¡¯s not the academy¡¯s reputation that¡¯s at stake, it¡¯s the Vice Principal¡¯s.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but scoff, seeing right through Oh Ji-sung. He was so self-centered. ¡°Then what are you going to do about the students?¡± ¡°We need to wait and see. Professor Clementine is out searching, I believe.¡± ¡°Professor Clementine?¡± ¡°You probably haven¡¯t met her yet. She¡¯s a full-time professor in the Alchemy Department. She¡¯s a genius when ites to alchemy, but she¡¯s terrible at dealing with sudden situations, so I¡¯m really worried...¡± I knew her. Alfred Clementine. Someone who hadpleted her doctorate by the age of 10 and had already reached the rank of 3-star in the Alchemy Department... The youngest professor at Masterss. Due to her personality that didn''t suit war, she had early on chosen the path of a professor. She was known for having the most exceptional intellect, even among the geniuses of Masterss. ¡®She¡¯s one of the few professors in the 13 departments who isn¡¯t under Kim Taekhee¡¯s influence.¡¯ The Alchemy Department was a major department, second only to the Emission Department. If I could form a rtionship with a professor from such a department... ¡®It would be helpful in my future conflicts with Kim Taekhee.¡¯ I was d I hade to see the Vice Principal. When I heard about the ruined garden, I had a hunch that something big must have happened to one of the professors. If I hadn''t asked Oh Ji-sung, I would have missed this big piece of news. I looked at the Vice Principal with a concerned expression. ¡°Where is she now? Professor Alfred?¡± * * * Oh Ji-sung surprisingly gave me the location without hesitation. He even went so far as to show me Clementine''s coordinates on a map app. I could clearly see his shameless intention of achieving his goals without lifting a finger, but... "I¡¯ll handle this myself this time. After all, this is more of a favor to me." After receiving the location from the Vice Principal, I headed straight for Dragon Mountain. Even near the entrance, a thick fog had already spread. I wandered through the fog that shrouded the mountain from the base. The fact that this mountain was shrouded in fog year-round was well-known in the game. Whenever yers saw such a mysterious ce, they all had the same thought. Could there be some kind of reward hidden up there? Many yers had climbed the mountain for that reason, but few had seeded due to the fog that grew thicker and thicker as they ascended. ¡°And even those who did manage to reach the summit said they found nothing.¡± Apparently, there was a vastke at the summit, like Heaven Lake on Mount Baekdu, but nothing else of significance. That was all I knew about Dragon Mountain. It seemed like there must be something hidden, but no one had ever found anything. That''s why I always wondered about Dragon Mountain. Was there really nothing there? Or was it just unknown? Whoooooosh-! Suddenly, a violent wind blew from far away. It was an artificial wind, as if a storm were raging. The ancient trees swayed violently as if they were about to be uprooted by the powerful wind, and arge amount of thick, heavy fog was blown away. For a brief moment, it seemed as if I could see the bare face of Dragon Mountain... Swooshh- The fog that had descended rapidly from the summit began to cover the entire mountain again. Then, a cry suddenly erupted from somewhere. ¡°Waah!¡± The unfamiliar cry of a woman echoed from not too far away. I quickly ran towards the sound. There was a woman sitting and crying in a gazebo near the foot of the mountain. A white dress with frills. A short bob cut, as if it hade straight out of aic book. A cat hairpin neatly perched on her blond hair... Her appearance was so striking that I recognized her immediately. It was Professor Alfred Clementine. ¡°Waah! Everything is ruined! I created a hurricane-level wind, but why is the fog still forming?!¡± Clementine was crying, throwing potions and her staff on the ground. Various potions and herbs were scattered around her. ¡®So that was the cause of the wind just now.¡¯ I was impressed that she could cast such a powerful wind spell with just a potion mixture. Approaching her, I said, "Professor Alfred." "Sniff... Hmm... Who are you?" Clementine, her vision obscured by tears, adjusted her sses and looked at me. She tilted her head, clearly not having seen Do Jin-hak''s face before. That was fortunate. At least she didn''t have a grudge against him like Kim Taekhee did. "I''m Do Jin-hak from the Deconstructionist Department." "Eh? Deconstructionist Department?" However, while she didn''t have a grudge, she did have a preconceived notion. As soon as she heard my name, Clementine flinched and took a step back. I tried to remove the typical arrogance from my tone and said, "Don''t be rmed. The Vice Principal sent me." "The Vice Principal...?" "I heard that the students who climbed the mountain have gone missing. How is the search going?" "The search... well..." At the mention of the search, Clementine''srge eyes welled up with tears again. "It doesn''t look good." "But...! No matter what I do, the fog won''t disappear! I''ve tried creating wind, rain, everything, but..." Shemented that the fog continued to descend as if there was a magic spell creating it at the summit. ¡®Just as I expected.¡¯ Even a genius like her couldn''t dispel the fog on Dragon Mountain. This fog wasn''t something that could be dispelled by a spell. I put on a serious expression and said, ¡°That¡¯s a serious problem. If even the most skilled potion master in Masterss can¡¯t dispel the fog...¡± ¡°Wuu...¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be able to find the students. They say no one who has disappeared on this mountain has ever returned.¡± ¡°Then what should I do? Should I call the Vice Principal and ask him to send a search party?¡± Clementine pulled out her phone to make a call, but I quickly grabbed her hand. I couldn''t let her call Oh Ji-sung. ¡°The Vice Principal doesn¡¯t want this matter to get out. He¡¯ll probably make some excuse and refuse.¡± ¡°Then what about my students...?¡± ¡°Well, they might be found years from now, as skeletons...¡± ¡°Wuu, waaaah!¡± Clementine burst into tears again. She clung to my pants, begging me to save her students. ¡°Please help me! I heard that the Deconstructionist Department can deconstruct anything! Can¡¯t you dispel this fog? Please!¡± Ding-! [A sub-quest has arrived.] [Alfred¡¯s Plea: Rescue Alfred¡¯s missing students.] [Reward: Greatly increase Alfred Clementine''s favorability. Increase character experience.] ¡®There it is.¡¯ Finally, the quest notification appeared. While I was a bit disappointed that the reward was only an increase in favorability, it was different if the target was Clementine. It would be hard to find an item as useful as the items this woman could create in this game. ¡°Let¡¯s calm down first.¡± ¡°Sniff, sniff... Will you help me?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, even the Deconstructionist Department doesn¡¯t have a way to dispel this fog.¡± ¡°But how...¡± ¡°But fortunately, there is a way to find the students in the fog.¡± Clementine blinked herrge eyes, her nose running. I lowered my voice, making it sound very secretive and serious. ¡°You see...¡± [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 19 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 19 ¡®The fog is definitely getting thicker as I climb higher.¡¯ Leaving Clementine at the base of the mountain, I continued to climb, keeping a lookout. ¡°...This should be safe enough.¡± Only after confirming that the fog was getting thicker and thicker as I ascended was I able to rx. With this much fog, no one would be able to see me. I focused my mind to cast a spell. Clementine''s potion magic was incredibly powerful, but it wouldn''t help her find the students trapped in the fog. The fog on Dragon Mountain wasn''t a simple natural phenomenon; it was a kind of barrier. It prevented people from climbing to the summit. Because of that, I couldn''t climb the mountain barehanded. I needed an item, a spell, or a new sense to navigate the fog. [Casting Polymorph spell.] [Select Polymorph transformation.] [Selected "Bat" as Polymorph transformation.] [ENP increases by 15/180.] Bang-! With the spell, my body transformed instantly, and I hung from a branch, pping my wings. Then, I opened my mouth and emitted an ultrasonic wave forward. ...... ...... ...... [Something is detected by the ultrasonic wave.] [An image of the terrain scanned by the ultrasonic wave is drawn in your mind.] ¡®Got it.¡¯ The ultrasonic waves bounced off the terrain and returned, and the path hidden in the fog began to be drawn in my mind. The bat polymorph wasn''t something I used often, but thanks to having senses that humans didn''t, it was quite useful in situations like this. ¡®I was half-expecting that the ultrasonic waves wouldn¡¯t work, since I had never climbed this mountain before.¡¯ Fortunately, the path was being drawn in my mind better than I had expected. p-! I took off from the branch and began to p my wings briskly towards the summit. * * * You can''t get lost in the fog if you use a bat''s sonar. I discovered this fact around the 80th or 81st ythrough. When I first entered High Society and decided to be one of the Four Evils, the other viins didn''t like me. "No wonder. I had killed the viin who was supposed to be one of the Four Evils in the original story and taken their ce." That was the only way to be one of the Four Evils in High Society. The problem was that one of the Four Evils, [White Ghost], was in a romantic rtionship with the viin I had killed. White Ghost, a viin with fog-based abilities, tried to kill me by covering the entire city in fog. "I actually died at her hands several times." Because of that, every time I started a new ythrough, I had to find a way to defeat White Ghost first. However, one of White Ghost''s characteristics made it extremely difficult to find a way. That was her [Fog] ability. By training her ability to its limit and transforming her entire body into fog, White Ghost was impervious to any attack. In the end, I changed my n from finding a way to defeat White Ghost to finding a way to avoid her attacks, and through various attempts, I discovered the use of a bat''s sonar. "It was the first time I saw that expression on White Ghost''s face." She looked quite shocked to see someone survive her fog, as she had never seen anyone do so before.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Even after that, she attacked me several times, but each time I survived in the same way, and eventually, White Ghost left High Society on her own. She said she couldn''t stay in the same organization as someone who had killed her lover. "But what if White Ghost had stayed?" Sometimes I wonder. What if I could have found a route where White Ghost remained in High Society? What if her fog had protected us? How would it have been against the Seven Heroes? It would have been difficult for even the Seven Heroes to find a way to prate White Ghost''s fog. "...It''s a useless thought." I know very well. There''s no such route. If there was, I wouldn''t be here right now. [The ultrasonic waves detect the terrain.] [A new terrain is drawn in your mind.] [Arge body of water is detected ahead.] About 20 minutes after flying up Dragon Mountain. After continuously emitting ultrasonic waves and navigating through the hazy fog, I finally detected something other than rocks and trees. "Arge body of water... So this must be Dragon Lake." There is argeke at the summit of Dragon Mountain. The huge fog that covers the entire mountaines from thiske. "But ake alone couldn''t naturally create this much fog." Considering the climatic conditions, this ce isn''t suitable for naturally generating such arge amount of fog. There must be some artificial force at work. Like a spell or magic. [Casting Polymorph spell.] [Select Polymorph transformation.] [Selected "Do Jin-hak" as Polymorph transformation.] [Casting Do Jin-hak''s spell "Reality Perception."] [ENP increases by 35/180.] [Your vision begins to change.] Returning to the form of Do Jin-hak, I looked down at theke with my main spell. I could see it more clearly as I looked. The particles of water element that fill theke. The surface of the pebbles surrounding it. The geographical birth and background of theke that rises at the summit of the mountain. Some yers who climbed to the top of Dragon Mountain in the game said they found nothing at theke. But with this spell, this spell that allows you to perceive all realities... ...... ...... ...... ¡°...I can¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡®That¡¯s odd. I was sure there would be a spell cast here.¡¯ Contrary to my expectations, there was no trace of spells or magic circles on theke. ¡®Or maybe it¡¯s a spell that my Reality Perception can¡¯t detect at this level?¡¯ Since I¡¯m only using 15% of Do Jin-hak¡¯s Essence for this spell, that could be the case. If I could strengthen my Essence and fully utilize the ability of Reality Perception, I might discover something. ¡°But there¡¯s no way I can strengthen my Essence right now.¡± Unless I could suck the blood of dozens of high-quality, nutrient-rich soldiers, but that¡¯s just a dream... ¡°...Wait, what¡¯s this?¡± Suddenly, something caught my eye. Most of the stones around theke were granite, but the ground I was standing on was made of a marble-like substance. Feeling something was off, I examined the ground with my Reality Perception spell. ...... As expected, the marble wasn¡¯t formed naturally. There were traces of artificial carving on the surface of the stone. ¡°Although I can¡¯t see any traces of spells...¡± Just in case, I removed all the dirt and stones covering the marble. And then something began to emerge. ¡°Is this... writing?¡± It was a tiny, carved inscription on the surface of the marble. Perhaps it was a stone monument left by someone. I stopped the Reality Perception spell and read the inscription. - In thete Goryeo Dynasty, a thousand-year-old serpent of Yongmun Mountain devoured the people of the eight provinces, filling them with fear. The Taoist Jeon Woo-chi appeared and said that the serpent¡¯s power came from the Divine Pearl. - Jeon Woo-chi tricked the people into offering sacrifices to the serpent, and in the meantime, he stole the serpent¡¯s Divine Pearl and ran away. - Deprived of the Divine Pearl, the serpent cried day and night, and its tears filled the summit of the mountain, which is now called Dragon Lake... ¡°...A serpent.¡± The inscription was a folk tale that could be found in any rural vige. However, in this game, such folk tales don¡¯t exist without a reason. The game developers aren¡¯t idle enough to create such backgrounds and folklore without any content. ¡°So this is the tears of a thousand-year-old serpent?¡± I looked down at theke again. Theke was so deep that I couldn¡¯t even gauge its depth. A thousand-year-old serpent is often called an Imugi. Imugi is one of the closest creatures to dragons among the numerous mythical beasts in the game. If thiske really is the tears of the Imugi as the inscription says... Ssh- Just in case, I put my hand in theke. An icy coldness spread from my hand to my whole body. Then, I started counting. ¡°One, two, three, four, five...¡± Even as I counted, theke remained still. The calmke, without a single ripple, seemed like it would remain the same even if I counted to a hundred. But I kept my hand in the water. A foggy mountain. Ake. An inscription with a legend... These things couldn''t just exist for no reason. They must be rted to a quest. A quest of Dragon Mountain that no one has ever discovered. ...... ...... ...... I listened intently for a long time. In the dead silence of theke, I felt like I could hear something. Very slowly, bit by bit¡­ "..." A faint sound, almost like the wind, but upon closer listening, it was a strange noise I had never heard before. It wasn''t a sound that reached my ears but rather a vibration that traveled up from the depths of theke through my hand. I plunged my hand deeper into theke and listened intently. And then, a message appeared before my eyes. Ding-! [Someone is trying to speak to you.] [It''s anguage you cannot understand.] [Dragon Affinity 1 helps you understand.] As the message appeared, the sounding up from the bottom of theke became clearer. "...! ...! ...!" A wicked, ferocious voice. A spine-chilling sound, like grinding steel on a de, resonated throughout my body. "Who is it?! Who dares to speak to me?!" Boom-! The surface of theke erupted as if bursting, and a gigantic creature finally emerged from within. It was very simr to the Imugi depicted in the inscription. [You have uncovered the "Mystery of the Dragon Lake!" ] [You have gained new inspiration from witnessing this wondrous mystery!] [Intelligence stat increased!] [Charm stat increased!] ''I was right!'' The reason why no one had ever uncovered the secret of the Dragon Mountain before was because they didn''t have the ability tomunicate with the Imugi. The Dragon Affinity I gained through Gianluca was a rare skill, and as I suspected, it allowed me tomunicate with the Imugi. "...But it''s much bigger than I thought." The problem was that the Imugi that had finally appeared was unimaginablyrge. If it attacked, there was no way I could survive in my current state. Before it noticed me, I quickly hid behind arge rock. "You beast! I clearly heard your voice! Where are you hiding?! Come out at once!" Bang-! Bang-! Powerful water jets erupted from the angry Imugi''s mouth, shattering the surroundings. ''I''m doomed if this continues...!'' The summit of Dragon Mountain, with its rocks and trees, was being destroyed by the hydro-pump-like water jets! ¡®If I keep hiding like this, I¡¯ll just end up dying the 138th time.¡¯ And running away wouldn¡¯t solve anything. ¡®Come to think of it, the inscription on the stone tablet said the Imugi was greatly wronged by humans...¡¯ If the legend was true, there¡¯s a high chance it harbors a deep resentment towards humans. Then... [Casting Polymorph spell.] [Select Polymorph transformation.] [Selected "Tree Spirit" as Polymorph transformation.] [ENP increases by 50/180.] Before the water jet could reach me, I quickly changed my form and stepped in front of the Imugi. Upon seeing me, the Imugi stopped its indiscriminate attack and narrowed its serpent eyes. ¡°I thought I heard a human voice, but it seems a tree child has climbed up here! No matter how much I chew on twigs like you, it¡¯s tasteless!¡± The Imugi flicked its tongue, its eyes filled with disappointment. Seeing that it didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of attacking, I breathed a sigh of relief. As long as I maintained this polymorph, I should be safe from being eaten. ¡°Are you the one creating the fog on this mountain?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This fog is a treasure bestowed upon me by heaven!¡± As expected. The fog on Dragon Mountain was artificially created, and the culprit was the legendary Imugi living beneath theke. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°Why? To prevent those damn humans from climbing up here!¡± The Imugi''s pupils narrowed as if an unpleasant memory had surfaced, and it gnashed its sharp teeth. ¡°I was preparing to ascend to heaven long before this country was called Goryeo! I helped humans and even epted their offerings. Until that damned Jeon Woo-chi appeared!¡± The Imugi''s story, poured out with resentment, was quite different from the legend written on the stone tablet. A thousand years ago, the Imugi had been diligently cultivating its power in Dragon Mountain, dreaming of ascension. It was revered as a mountain spirit, asionally granting humans'' wishes. Its divine power had grown so great that it was almost like a dragon, and it could perform incredible feats. ¡°But that human, Jeon Woo-chi, saw my power and became greedy! He appeared before me, deceived me with lies, and stole my Divine Pearl! He hid it somewhere in the eight provinces of Goryeo so I couldn¡¯t find it!¡± Rumble Rumble-! As the Imugi''s anger intensified, dark clouds gathered in the sky, followed by shes of lightning. It didn¡¯t seem like a lie, judging by its anger. ¡®The inscription on the stone tablet must have been greatly embellished.¡¯ Having lived as a viin for so long, I could somewhat empathize with its anger. I had experienced many times in past ythroughs how humans rewrite history to their advantage. ¡°So I had to create a new Divine Pearl! For another thousand years! And do you think I would just sit back and let those wicked humans steal it again?¡± With a snort, the Imugi breathed out a hot wind that nearly burned me. As a tree spirit, I was particrly vulnerable to heat... ¡®Anyway, I understand the situation now.¡¯ So the Imugi had covered the mountain in fog to protect its Divine Pearl from humans. After two thousand years of creating it, it was understandable that it was so wary of human approach. ¡°But why haven¡¯t you ascended yet? Surely two thousand years is enough time to recreate the Divine Pearl?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the mountain¡¯s energy has weakened! If the mountain¡¯s energy was full, I would have already found and devoured Jeon Woo-chi and ascended long ago!¡± The Imugi exined that the Divine Pearl was created by gradually absorbing the mountain¡¯s energy, and that the mountain was now dying because it had been draining its energy for too long. ¡®Well, after being sucked dry for two thousand years, even the healthiest mountain would be dying.¡¯ ¡®Anyway, now I just need to persuade him to clear the fog.¡¯ The missing alchemy students were probably still wandering somewhere in the fog on this mountain. Considering that the setting involved him being tricked by a human and having his Divine Pearl stolen, he probably didn¡¯t have a very high intelligence. ¡®If I tter him, I might be able to get him to temporarily clear the fog.¡¯ Hiding my true intentions, I casually mentioned to the Imugi. ¡°Hmm... Hearing your story, it seems like you¡¯re in a difficult situation. But I think I can help you with the mountain¡¯s energy problem.¡± ¡°Help?¡± ¡°As you know, the forest folk can hear the voice of the mountain. I might be able to find a way to restore its energy. If you just clear the fog from the mountain for a while...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that! The gods of heaven will never abandon me. They have sent me a gift!¡± ¡°A gift?¡± The Imugi rolled its eyes ferociously, and theke churned violently as something rose from beneath. Whoosh-! Dozens of humans emerged from the water, floating in the air. They were the missing students from the Alchemy Department. [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 20 [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] Chapter 20 ¡°Why is he sote?¡± In front of the Masterss building. At the time when Do Jin-hak¡¯s secret mission to find the missing alchemy students was underway. Okamoto Daichi, the top student of the alchemy department, nervously checked his watch and muttered, ¡°I''m going to miss the movie at this rate.¡± He had finally managed to score a date with Shin A-sol, the girl he had been crushing on for years. The fact that he was going to see a movie alone with a girl, and that girl was someone he had had a crush on for years, was raising Okamoto''s anxiety level to the maximum. ¡°Now, what was I going to say during the movie...? I keep forgetting.¡± To relieve his tension, Okamoto once again reviewed his mental simtion. What lines to say at which scene. When to hold her hand pretending to reach for popcorn. How to naturally lead her to the hotel restaurant after the movie. He had repeated this scenario hundreds of times. As the top student of the alchemy department, he even nned his dates like he was studying, erasing and rewriting them repeatedly. That was why he was confident. He was sure that no woman would resist his dating n. "Hehe... Just wait, Shin A-sol. I''ll make you mine tonight..." "Make me what?" "?!¡± Startled, Okamoto turned around. Shin A-sol was standing there, somehow. "Since when were you there?" "Since a little while ago." "You should have said something when you came..." ¡°I did. You were mumbling to yourself so much that you couldn¡¯t hear me.¡± Oh no. Okamoto¡¯s heart pounded. ¡®Had I been so focused on my scenario that I didn¡¯t hear anything?¡¯ Okamoto carefully observed Shin A-sol¡¯s expression. Fortunately, she seemed oblivious to the details. ¡°W-well...! Anyway, why are you sote? I was about to give up and go alone.¡± Of course, he hadn¡¯t considered giving up for a second, but Okamoto boasted anyway. He didn¡¯t want her to know how much he would have waited for her, even for three days and nights, if his date was Shin A-sol. Unfortunately for Okamoto, Shin A-sol had no idea and didn¡¯t care about such inner thoughts. She apologized slightly and said, ¡°I was just buying some new clothes. I didn¡¯t think it was appropriate to wear my academy uniform to the movies.¡± ¡°You bought new clothes...?" Hearing those words should have made his heart flutter, but Okamoto was dumbfounded when he looked at her new outfit. Shin A-sol was wearing what looked like a tracksuit she''d just bought from a sports store. ¡°...That''s your new outfit?¡± "Yeah. My old tracksuit was stolen by a thief." Of course. Okamoto, who had been hoping she had bought a new outfit specifically for their date, immediately felt deted. "Haven''t you found it yet? I heard they found all the other stuff the thief stole." "Yeah, except for my tracksuit. That perverted thief must have hidden it somewhere special." Shin A-sol clenched her fists, clearly upset that she couldn''t personally beat up the thief. Meanwhile, Okamoto was incredibly envious of the thief who still had Shin A-sol''s old tracksuit. ¡®Wait, could it be in a pawn shop?¡¯ Okamoto secretly vowed to check pawn shop websites every day, just in case. Just then, someone called out to Shin A-sol from a distance. ¡°A-sol!¡± A tannedplexion and flowing blond hair. Even from a distance, they were trademarks that made her recognizable. ¡°Arche, what¡¯s wrong?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Shin A-sol looked puzzled as her friend ran towards her. Arche asked urgently, ¡°Have you seen Seo Su-kyung?¡± ¡°Seo Su-kyung?¡± Shin A-sol suddenly had a bad feeling. It wasn¡¯tmon for Arche to look for Seo Su-kyung so urgently. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her today... Did Seo Su-kyung cause trouble again?¡± ¡°Not yet, but...¡± ¡°But?¡± Arche exined the situation to Shin A-sol, who looked puzzled. The incident between Seo Su-kyung and Professor D during the Alchemy ss. Arche, who had been sitting next to her, exined that Seo Su-kyung looked like she was about to explode with anger. Hearing that, a scene immediately came to mind for both Shin A-sol and Okamoto. "Wait, so maybe the reason she enchanted the weapons was..." Suddenly remembering Seo Su-kyung appearing with a bunch of weapons, demanding they be enchanted. A dark premonition began to form in the minds of all three. Perhaps, the first-ever professor murder case in the Masterss was about to happen... ¡°No way.¡± Okamoto shook his head. ¡°Even if she¡¯s reckless, I doubt she¡¯d actually try to kill a professor.¡± ¡°Yeah, Seo Su-kyung isn¡¯t that heartless...¡± ...Why couldn¡¯t she finish that sentence? Having known Seo Su-kyung for a long time, Shin A-sol couldn¡¯t be entirely sure. ¡°...But why were you two here?¡± Arche suddenly noticed Okamoto''s outfit and was curious. The way he was dressed head-to-toe in designer clothes was quite eye-catching. ¡°Okamoto asked me to watch a movie with him.¡± ¡°A movie? This guy?¡± Arche''s gaze turned hostile as she looked at Okamoto. Her concern for Seo Su-kyung vanished instantly. ¡®...Why do I feel like I¡¯vemitted a crime? Is there something wrong with asking her to watch a movie?¡¯ Okamoto felt like he hadmitted a great sin and unconsciously cowered. Arche stared at Okamoto as if he were trash, then her expression changed as if she had a good idea. She asked Shin A-sol, ¡°So, what movie are you going to watch?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a movie called Love Death. Have you heard of it?¡± ¡°Wow! I¡¯ve been wanting to see that!¡± ¡°Really? Great, then let¡¯s go together... No, we should probably find Seo Su-kyung first...¡± ¡°Aw! What¡¯s the big deal? She¡¯ll be fine. Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions. What time is the movie? We¡¯re going to bete!¡± Arche pushed Shin A-sol, who was hesitating. Okamoto felt like a bolt of lightning had struck him. ¡°Wait, wait! It doesn¡¯t work like that if there¡¯s one more person...¡± He tried to salvage the situation, but Arche had already linked arms with Shin A-sol and was walking out the door. As if to taunt him, she turned around and flipped him the middle finger while clinging tightly to Shin A-sol. Okamoto was fuming. And yet, he was incredibly jealous of Arche being so close to Shin A-sol. ¡°Damn it...! Why are there so many evil people at this academy?!¡± He thought only Seo Su-kyung was evil, but no, there were demons everywhere in this academy. Okamoto followed the two girls, feeling like he was about to burst into tears. * * * ¡°These humans have such a delicious aura... slurp!¡± The Imugi licked its lips as it looked at the unconscious students floating in the air. It had found the alchemy students in an unexpected ce. I asked, hoping against hope, ¡°Why did you capture the humans?¡± ¡°Why? To offer them as sacrifices to the mountain, of course! By offering them as sacrifices, the mountain¡¯s energy will recover greatly!¡± I closed my eyes. The worst-case scenario was unfolding. ¡®Things are gettingplicated.¡¯ I had nned to persuade the Imugi to temporarily clear the fog so I could find the students, but it seemed they had already been captured. I checked the students¡¯ condition. ¡®They¡¯re still breathing, but barely¡­¡¯ If they were offered as sacrifices, they would all die, and worst of all, Clementine, who was already mentally fragile, might leave the academy forever. If that happened, my n to use her against Kim Taekhee would be ruined... ¡®...I can¡¯t let that happen.¡¯ I gathered my thoughts and spoke to the Imugi again. ¡°I don¡¯t think sacrificing humans is a good idea.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°As a forest spirit, I can hear the voice of the mountain. The mountain doesn¡¯t want human lives. Can¡¯t you hear it?¡± I pretended to listen intently. Of course, I had no ability to hear the voice of a mountain. ¡®Maybe if my tree spirit essence grew stronger, I could.¡¯ For now, this was the best I could do. Since I was speaking as a tree spirit, it wouldn¡¯t be entirely unbelievable. In fact, the Imugi seemed to be pondering my words. ¡°The voice of the mountain... Can you really hear it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not surprising if you don¡¯t. Even among the forest spirits, not everyone canmunicate with the mountain.¡± ¡°Hmm... You say you¡¯re such a spiritual being...? You don¡¯t seem like it...¡± The Imugi seemed to be thinking deeply. ¡®Good. It doesn¡¯t seem topletely disbelieve me.¡¯ My acting seemed to be working. I pretended to listen even more intently and said, ¡°The mountain is very worried. If you sacrifice these humans, other humans wille for revenge.¡± ¡°What does it matter? By then, I will have be a dragon and ascended.¡± ¡°Then the humans will be angry and burn down this mountain and forest. Humans are like that. You know that better than anyone after two thousand years.¡± ¡°Burn down this mountain...? Humans would really do that...? That¡¯s possible...¡± The Imugi looked conflicted for a moment. As a deity of this mountain for so long, it wouldn¡¯t want such a thing to happen. ¡°Leave the humans. I¡¯ll help restore the mountain¡¯s energy.¡± The Imugi¡¯s eyes narrowed at my suggestion. ¡°Why do you care about humans? You¡¯re supposed to be indifferent to the life and death of humans.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about human lives. I¡¯m just worried that angry humans will burn down the mountain and forest.¡± ¡°Hmm... Strange, very strange...¡± The Imugi suddenly circled me with its long body, its nose ring as if it were smelling something. ¡°You smell like that human.¡± ¡°Like who?¡± ¡°Jeon Woo-chi! The human I could tear to shreds!¡± Rumble- Thunder roared at the mention of that name. ¡°Because of his deceitful tongue, I had to wait a thousand more years! That can¡¯t happen again! Never!¡± The Imugi¡¯s eyes turned into slits as it stared at me. A chilling light began to shine from those narrow eyes. Ding-! [The Imugi of the Fog is reading your mind.] [You feelpletely exposed in front of the Imugi.] ¡®Telepathy? It can do that?¡¯ It¡¯s a rare spell that only high-ranking beings in military academies could use. I never thought an Imugi, let alone one that wasn¡¯t even a dragon yet, could use such a spell. ¡®So the setting about it cultivating for over a thousand years wasn¡¯t just for show¡­¡¯ Thump, thump, thump- My heart pounded like it would burst. If the Imugi¡¯s divine power could see through my lies... ¡®I¡¯d die right here.¡¯ The thought of dying again made my head spin. I¡¯d died over 100 times, but death was always terrifying. However, I didn¡¯t show any sign of fear. The 137 deaths I¡¯d experienced weren¡¯t for nothing. [Your sufficiently high intelligence stat defends against the Imugi''s mind reading.] [The Imugi cannot read anything from you.] ¡°Hmm... I definitely smelled something... Strange, indeed!¡± The Imugi licked its lips, looking disappointed. The gleam in its eyes began to fade. Whew-! I breathed a sigh of relief. The intelligence I had developed while disguised as Do Jin-hak had barely managed to defend against the Imugi¡¯s divine power. ¡°Then show me! Prove your words!¡± Whirl-! Just as I was about to rx, the Imugi¡¯s tail wrapped around me. With a ssh, I was pulled down into the depths of theke. ¡®Is this really ake?¡¯ The depth of the Dragon Lake was beyond imagination. It felt more like the deep sea. As I was pulled deeper and deeper by the Imugi, the surroundings grew darker and darker. When I could no longer see anything, a faint light appeared far below. ¡®Wait... is that?¡¯ I could recognize the light from a distance. Something I had seen countless times in this game. Something I couldn¡¯t possibly mistake. ¡®It¡¯s the Divine Tree!¡¯ Growing at the very bottom of theke was the Divine Tree. It was twice as big as the one in the garden, but its light was much weaker. ¡°This is where the mountain¡¯s energy gathers. Can you really save it?¡± The Imugi asked, still full of doubt. Released from its tail, I slowly approached the Divine Tree. ¡®So the mountain¡¯s energy meant the Divine Tree...¡¯ As the Imugi said, the Divine Tree was dying, its branches rotting. To think that the Divine Tree, which could heal thousands, even tens of thousands, of ENPs on the battlefield, has ended up like this¡­ ¡®How much power must that greedy Imugi have sucked out of it.¡¯ After being tormented by that greedy Imugi for two thousand years, even a Divine Tree would end up like this. It was the first time I¡¯d seen one in such a state, and it was pitiful. ¡°What are you hesitating for? If what you say is true, then you should be able to save this tree right away.¡± The Imugi red at me with its sharp snake-like eyes. It seemed ready to swallow me whole if I didn¡¯t revive the Divine Tree immediately. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d end up in a situation like this.¡¯ Looking at its ferocious fangs, I fell into deep thought again. Even though I had polymorphed into a tree spirit, I didn¡¯t know how to revive a Divine Tree. I had simply nned to appease the Imugi, clear the fog, find the students, and then escape. It was aplete dilemma. No matter how much I searched, I couldn¡¯t find a way out. ¡®...Or could I?¡¯ As I was cornered, a thought suddenly shed through my mind. The reason why this situation had urred in the first ce. Tracing the cause back to the beginning, it was because I had killed the tree spirit in the academy garden. ¡®I didn¡¯t know back then that it was protecting the garden¡¯s herbs.¡¯ That means the original tree spirit must have had the inherent ability to revive dying nts. And the Divine Tree was, after all, a kind of tree. If only I could awaken the power that the tree spirit possessed... Ding-! [You can feel the weak power of the Divine Tree.] [The Divine Tree''s power is too weak to recover ENPs.] A message appeared when I put my hand on the Divine Tree. It was amon message that appeared when touching a weakened Divine Tree. ¡®For ordinary humans or viins, this message would be the end, but¡­¡¯ As a polymorphed tree spirit, I felt something different. The emotions of the dying Divine Tree flowed from my fingertips and pierced my heart. ... ... ... ... ... ... It wasn¡¯t a humannguage, nor was it anything like thenguage of dragons. But somehow, I felt like I could understand what the Divine Tree was saying. It desperately wanted to live. Ding-! [The voice of the Divine Tree has reached you.] [Due to the Polymorph spell: Tree Spirit, you have remembered a new spell.] [You have learned the spell "Breath of the Forest"!] [Trantor - Helga ] [Proofreader - Starfall ] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 21 - [Trantor - Peptobismal] [Proofreader - Max] Chapter 21 To be honest, the Polymorph spell isn''t treated very specially in Military chronical. Quite a few viins use the Polymorph spell, and it''s not umon for Military from the Illusion or Transformation schools to use it either. But the Blood Demon''s Polymorph spell is a bit different. It uses the target''s essence as the basis for the spell. ''Because of that, sometimes the hidden power within the essence manifests if the conditions are met.'' The condition could be the Blood Demon leveling up, or it could be some special experience. Over the past 137 restarts, I must have sucked the blood of at least a thousand essences, and some of them often manifested hidden powers in unexpected situations. Just like in this situation. [You have learned the spell "Breath of the Forest"! ] I focused on the message that popped up before my eyes. A new spell manifested through contact with the dying divine tree! Judging from the name, I could roughly guess what kind of spell it was, but to be sure, I quickly checked the spell''s description. [Breath of the Forest: Your love for nature as one of the forest tribe is wondrous. Seeing the withering flowers and trees, you would want to help them even if it means sharing your life force. This spell is a miracle born from your earnest desire.] The spell''s description was as expected. The effect of revitalizing nts. But one thing bothered me. ''...I don''t want to share my life force.'' I expected it to be an ability to revive dying nts, but I didn''t know it would be at the expense of my own life. "You scoundrel! You lied to me again!" As my contemtion dragged on, the Imugi rebuked me with its snake eyes wide open. "I thought it was strange that you smelled simr to Jeon Woo-chi! You were also plotting to steal my Yeouiju by deceiving me!" The enraged Imugi opened its jaws wide, ready to swallow me whole. I couldn''t hesitate any longer. [Casting the spell "Breath of the Forest".] As I cast the spell and breathed with all my might towards the divine tree, a green aura began to envelop it. [Your ENP increases to 65/180.] [Your ENP increases to 80/180.] [Your ENP increases to 95/180.] [Your ENP increases to 125/180...] As the messages appeared one after another, my head began to spin. The feeling of all the energy in my body draining away as I exhaled! I barely managed to hold onto my consciousness. [Your ENP increases to 175/180.] [Your ENP is close to its limit.] [Forcibly stopping the spell to prevent danger.] In the end, the spell was forcibly canceled, and my vision blurred. The light of the divine tree in my blurry vision... ...... ...was still faint... showing no signs of revival. ''Even after all this, I couldn''t restore it?'' I had poured out my life force until my ENP reached its limit, but it seemed it wasn''t enough with just my current life force. In this case, I had no choice but to look forward to the 139th try... "Ohhh...! This is unbelievable!" Just then, a dazzling light emerged from the Imugi''s mouth, apanied by a gasp. Something was rising from its belly, up through its throat. ''What''s that...?'' What appeared from its mouth, illuminating the darkkebed, was the Imugi''s Yeouiju. As the Yeouiju appeared, an amazing thing began to happen. The light of the divine tree started to grow stronger. "The energy! The mountain''s energy is reviving!" The Imugi, overjoyed, writhed in a figure-eight motion, as if about to dance. As it said, the light of the divine tree gradually intensified, and it was now fully revived in itsplete form. ''What an incredible ability...! The tree spirit.'' I couldn''t believe it, but it actually revived the dying divine tree...! Ding! [Your ENP has reached a critical level!] [Due to the influence of the "Blood Demon" trait, you are starting to lose your mind!] [Please restore your ENP quickly!] But this was no time to rejoice. The divine tree was revived, but the Yeouiju was absorbing all the energy, leaving none for me. ''Blood... I need blood. Now.'' But there was no way to get blood immediately at the bottom of this deepke. "Oh Yeouiju! Take all the energy of the divine tree! I will embrace you and open the path to the heavens!" The Imugi''s writhing intensified, and the water currents grew stronger. It was almost impossible for me to even maintain my bnce. ''I''ll be swept away at this rate!'' My mind was already hazy because my ENP was almost full... I was starting to lose my mind. "Aah...! How long have I waited for this day...! For this day to finallye...!" The Yeouiju, having absorbed the remaining energy from the divine tree, now began to emit a golden light. Along with it, the Imugi''s body also began to change. Long antlers, like a deer''s, sprouted from its forehead. Its long body cracked and peeled off like a husk... It was like watching thergest snake in the world shedding its skin. "Wait! I will grant you a great reward! Your contribution is immense!" The Imugi, now a white dragon with its head halfway out of its shed skin, shouted. ''A reward, what kind of reward?'' A reward given by a dragon would surely be incredible. Perhaps a special artifact never seen before. Or a rare ability that everyone would envy. ''...I don''t know.'' But I couldn''t think of anything. There was only one thought in my mind. ''...I want to eat.'' That hot blood, flowing with tremendous life force, from the newly transformed dragon...! I couldn''t think of anything but that tempting life force flowing through its body. ''Perhaps a snake is most vulnerable when it sheds its skin...'' Was it said that a snake attacked during molting would surely die? Vaguely, such information shed through my mind. It was clear that I hadpletely lost my mind because my ENP was overflowing. Otherwise, there was no way I would do such a thing in my right mind. "W-what are you doing?! You bastard! Stop! Don''t you dare...!" The Imugi''s shouting voice faintly echoed in my ears. But I don''t understand what it''s saying. From the moment I sank my fangs into its neck, I just mindlessly sucked its blood. [Casting the spell "Blood Drain".] [Your ENP decreases to 160/180.] [Your ENP decreases to 100/180.] [Your ENP decreases to 40/180...] The effect of the blood of the Imugi, in the midst of its transformation into a dragon, was tremendous. Every drop of blood I took drastically decreased my ENP. As my ENP decreased, I gradually regained my senses. ''...What am I doing?'' The moment I came to my senses, I met eyes with the Imugi. "Kuh... You bastard, you bastard dares to...!" The Imugi,pletely helpless and caught in the Blood Drain spell while shedding its skin, was enraged, its eyes rolling back as if about to lose its mind. But it was toote to turn back...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om I didn''t stop the Blood Drain spell. Now, I had no choice but to absorb all of this powerful energy. Ding! [You feel life overflowing from your body.] [The essence of the Mystic Dragon flows into your body.] [A new option, "Mystic Dragon", has been added to the Polymorph spell!] [The "Blood Demon" trait has leveled up to Lv. 3!] [All your held essences have been strengthened!] The essence of the Mystic Dragon and Blood Demon level 3! ''My Blood Demon level has increased again so soon after thest level up!'' As expected, the life force of the two-thousand-year-old Imugi was incredible. If I hadn''t targeted it during its molting, I would never have been able to obtain the blood of such a divine beast in my current state. "I-I am frustrated... After waiting two thousand years, finally, finally the heavens were within reach..." The Imugi, having all its life force absorbed, hardened like a stone and sank to the bottom of theke. The Imugi''s Yeouiju no longer emitted its brilliant light... It meant that the Imugi''s life force waspletely exhausted. ...... I looked down at Imugi''s lifeless body for a while. Everything happened so quickly, leading to apletely unexpected result. "...Consider the reward received." There was nothing else to say. I red at the dead Imugi for a moment, then rose to the surface of the water. *** "Ah! Professor Do jin-hak!" On the way down from the mountain, Professor Clementine came running with a group of people. "The fog suddenly disappeared! How did you do it?" "That''s..." I was about to exin, but then I changed my mind. If it became known that I killed the Imugi, it mighte back to bite meter. A simple answer might be better than a detailed exnation. "I eliminated the source of the fog." "The source? What was it?" The curious Clementine, her eyes sparkling, wanted to hear the whole story, but I kept changing the subject. "We should go to the top of the mountain quickly. The students are still copsed there." "My students? Are my students really there?" As I nodded, Clementine''srge eyes welled up with tears. "Waaaaah! Thank you! Thank you so much!" Ding! [You havepleted the sub quest "Clementine''s Request".] [Quest Completion Grade: A Rank.] [Do jin-hak''s reputation increases by - 25.] [Clementine''s attraction towards you greatly increases as a reward.] [Your rtionship with Clementine changes from "Acquaintance" to "Friendly".] [Due to the deepened rtionship, the other party feels a special bond with you.] [You have learned the trait "Genius 1" through rtionship development with Clementine!] My eyes widened as I read the message. ''Genius. To think I''d get it here.'' Genius was one of the most useful traits in Military Chronicle. It allowed you to discover secrets that others couldn''t and grasp the hidden intentions and information of others. ''That''s why it was an essential trait that I always acquired in previous ythroughs.'' I was worried about how to obtain it in the professor disguise route, which wasn''t the viin route... but it unexpectedly fell into my hands. Come to think of it, there were few characters as fitting for the Genius trait as Clementine. It was a setting in Military Chronicle that the effects of all traits amplified as their level increased. ''Clementine probably has Genius level 6 or 7.'' Even in this school teeming with geniuses, only a handful of characters had that level of Genius. With her level of Genius, new ideas would probably be constantly springing up. "Um... Is there something on my face? Why are you staring at me like that...?" Was I staring too much? Clementine touched her face awkwardly. I pretended not to know anything. "No, it''s nothing. We should hurry. The students are alive, but we don''t know when their condition might worsen." "Ah! That''s right! Then I''ll go to the children quickly. Thank you again!" Clementine hurriedly said goodbye and ran up the mountain with the others. After confirming they were heading up the mountain, I turned back down towards the foot of the mountain. *** My steps going down the mountain were much lighter than when I had climbed it. "Things are going more smoothly than I expected." I was quite worried about this enemy base infiltration route, as it was my first attempt, but fortunately, it was going well so far. There were unexpected obstacles, but with the experience of 137 restarts, I could manage them. "With this, the vice-principal will probably keep her mouth shut for a while." I found the phantom thief and drove him out. I raised the status of the Emission School, and I even rescued the missing students. It was a significant achievement for someone who had been at the school for less than a week. If things continued like this, my n to embed myself in Master ss like a long-term egg and block the 7 Heroes Project from the source might not be impossible. Again, if things continued like this... "...The problem is that it''s unlikely." I learned a lot through 137 restarts, but if I had to pick the biggest lesson, it would be this: Bnce adjustment. In this damned world, there exists a phenomenon befitting its nature. If the story seems to be unfolding too favorably for the viins, it forcibly adjusts the bnce, giving the Military a tremendous advantage. A benefactor thought to be dead suddenly appears. Or you regain a forgotten memory and obtain a rare item. Or you acquire an ancient spell lost long ago... Such unbelievable miracles only happen to the Military. The viins have no choice but to die at the hands of the Military, who are aided by the whole world, and the biggest victim of this is undoubtedly me. "No matter how much they struggle, in the end, the Military is destined to win." I hate this world, which forces me into situations where I will inevitably die no matter what I do. After suffering such unfair experiences over a hundred times, I''ve developed a sense for it. A sense of when the bnce adjustment will ur. "So far, it''s been going too smoothly..." In my experience, bnce adjustment happens at times like this. Just when you think everything is going well... Whoosh! Perhaps it''s a premonition of an ominous future? Suddenly, the trees rustle in the wind, and an eerie chill seeps through the bushes. A sudden chill. It was a rare urrence. It''s not often that a Blood Demon, a cold-blooded creature, feels cold. "...No way, it can''t be." Although rare, it''s not something I haven''t experienced in past ythroughs. There are a few cases where a Blood Demon feels cold. And the worst of them is... Ding! [You have sensed an ominous aura enveloping your soul.] [The ominous aura clings tenaciously to your soul and curses you.] [Your Will stat is not high enough to resist the curse.] [Your Intelligence stat is high enough to identify the nature of the curse.] [Nature of the Curse: The Imugi''s Han.] [The curse of the Imugi with Han clings to you!] ...When you''re cursed. [Trantor - Peptobismal] [Proofreader - Max] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 22 - [Trantor - Peptobismal] [Proofreader - Max] Chapter 22 The identity of the sudden chill. It was the curse of the Imugi I had just killed. The resentment of the creature, sinking to the bottom of theke, had tenaciously sought me out. [Curse of the Imugi: The Imugi, who had waited for two thousand years to ascend to the heavens, died just as its long-held wish was about to be fulfilled. The Imugi''s deep resentment will bring misfortune to every step you take.] [Curse Level: A] [Curse Effect: Significantly increases Misfortune stat randomly once a day.] "...What a nasty effect." An A-rank curse that increased the Misfortune stat. The grudge of the two-thousand-year-old Imugi was immense. I expected a bnce adjustment to ur, but I never thought it would manifest as this kind of curse. "Randomly once a day, huh?" Just thinking about it gave me a headache. The Misfortune and Fortune stats were hidden values in Military Chronicle, making them difficult to grasp. But Misfortune and Fortune definitely had an effect in this world. For example, when I lied to the Imugi a while ago. If this curse had activated in that situation, my misfortune stat would have amplified, and my lie would have been immediately exposed. "At least it''s only once a day." It was water under the bridge. Since I couldn''t undo what was done, it was best to think of countermeasures for the future. Fortunately, a curse activating once a day wasn''t the worst-case scenario. There was no guarantee that the curse, activating once a day, would always ur at the worst possible time. It was more likely that minor curses would ur, like dropping a ss of water while drinking and breaking my foot, due to the curse activating. Yes, there was no need to worry about the worst-case scenario... "Hahaha! There you are! Professor D!" ...Just as I was trying to convince myself with positive thinking, some guys appeared from the bushes. Fifteen strangers wearing clown masks, like the Joker gang in a bank robbery movie. ''Out of the frying pan and into the fire.'' The timing was so terrible that I wondered if the curse had already activated. "To think we''d meet the famous Professor D in a ce like this! What an honor!" Thergest man among the strangers said with exaggerated gestures. My eyes were drawn to the weapons they were carrying. An unusual energy emanated from the weapons. Judging from my body''s reaction, they were definitely dangerous weapons. "Who are you and why are you chasing me?" "Chasing you? Why would we chase after you? We were just passing by..." "Are you trying to tell me you were hiking with those ridiculous masks on? And carrying weapons meant for the battlefield?" When I pointed that out, the strangers looked at each other. They seemed to realize that their appearance didn''t quite fit the setting for a coincidence. "Haha! As expected, your insight is excellent, as the rumors say! Then shall we see if the other rumors are true as well?" Then the strangers suddenly rushed at me with their weapons. I reflexively drew blood on my palm and chanted a spell almost simultaneously. [Casting the spell "Bloodstorm Veil".] [Your ENP increases to 60/180.] As I scattered blood in the air, a red veil unfolded, blocking them. With my Blood Demon level at 3, the Bloodstorm Veil was upgraded from when I faced the Phantom Thief. I thought an attack from an opponent of a simr level wouldn''t be able to prate it... Crack-! ...But the veil was torn apart by the weapons they wielded. My only protective spell was shattered so easily! ''What kind of weapons are those?'' They didn''t use any special attack spells; they just swung their weapons. It wasn''tmon for the veil to be nullified by a normal attack unless there was a significant level difference. Ding-! [You focus on the identity of the weapons the enemies possess.] [Genius 1 aids your discovery.] [You have discovered that the enemies'' weapons are enchanted with holy spells!] [Your Intelligence stat increases slightly due to the additional discovery points!] ¡®Holy spells?!¡¯ The message made me tense. ''Of all things, holy spells?'' What this meant was clear. A 100% nned attack targeting me. They knew that the spells I used in the library were dark-type and prepared their weapons ordingly. "Hehehe! What''s wrong? Have you run out of useful spells?" The strangers, having easily torn through the veil, chuckled and began to surround me. I waspletely trapped within their closing encirclement. *** ''He''s not that big of a deal, is he?'' Nam Kang-ik thought to himself as he surrounded Professor D. The tale of Professor D driving away the Phantom Thief was already widely known among the students. Because of this, when Nam Kang-ik first received the request from Seo Su-kyung, he thought it would be quite a difficult task. ''Is it thanks to this weapon, as Seo Su-kyung said?'' Nam Kang-ik nced at the club faintly glowing in his hand. Actually, to avoid being discovered as a student of the Emission Department, Seo Su-kyung had forced Nam Kang-ik not to use any spells. He hadn''t liked the idea of working with just a club, but now he saw that Seo Su-kyung''s foresight was urate. ''That foxy girl... She makes my mouth water!'' Nam Kang-ikughed inwardly, harboring lewd thoughts. Although Seo Su-kyung held a higher position in the Emission Department, it wasn''t just because of her ranking that Nam Kang-ik obediently followed her words. The International Group, Seo Su-kyung''s family, and the Myungshin Corporation, Nam Kang-ik''s family. The cooperative rtionship between the two wasrgely due to the International Group providing significant support to the Myungshin Corporation''s ongoing projects. ''Just you wait, Seo Su-kyung. Soon, I''ll break that arrogant nose of yours... No, I''ll make it mine.'' On second thought, it would be a shame to break her nose. Why ruin such a pretty face? Anyway, although he was ying the role of a subordinate now, this rtionship wouldn''tst forever. Making that resolution inwardly, Nam Kang-ik growled from behind his mask. "You''ve be a cornered rat. How does it feel? Are you finally scared?" "...Do you know anything about me?" "I''ve heard rumors. That a new professor with a personality disorder has arrived at Masterss. It seems the students'' resentment is quite strong." "A true teacher is always hated." "Huh! Still acting all high and mighty!" Nam Kang-ik was growing increasingly displeased with the man in front of him. His calmness andck of fear in this situation were incredibly irritating. "This is what you get for acting like this! If you came to the school, you should just teach the students properly, instead of doing useless things and..." "Judging from your words, you must be a Masterss student. Which department are you from?" "!!" Nam Kang-ik inwardly cursed himself and quickly shut his mouth. It seemed like it wouldn''t be good to prolong the conversation in front of this man. "Ahem...! I don''t know what you''re talking about. We''ve gathered to punish your evil deeds. To give you time to reflect." Nam Kang-ik took out a rolled-up scroll from his pocket and tossed it over. Do Jin-hak received the scroll and unfurled it with suspicious eyes. As he checked the contents, his brow furrowed deeply. "This is..." "An oath contract. As a professor, you should know what that is, right?" An oath contract. This contract, said to have been created by a noble mage in medieval Hungary who feared a ve revolt, had the power to forcibly establish a master-servant rtionship through a spell. Naturally, it was an item prohibited byw and impossible to obtain through normal channels. It was known to be used only in the underworld, such as loan sharking and gambling dens. "Write your name on that contract and swear an oath. If you show enough remorse, I''ll burn the contract then." "If it''s an oath, it means establishing a master-servant rtionship, so who am I supposed to swear to?" "That''s none of your business! Just do as you''re told!" Nam Kang-ik raised his voice harshly. The group surrounding Professor D exuded a murderous aura and closed in. These were all students personally selected by Nam Kang-ik. He had chosen only the most belligerent individuals from the Emission Department, which was famous for its aggressive nature. ''And they''re the ones who have a lot ofints about the professors!'' They would dly step forward to beat up a professor. Professor D, sensing the seriousness of their murderous intent, also hardened his expression. After staring at them for a while, he finally spoke. "...Alright." "Huh? Alright? Hmph, you should have just..." Rip, rip-! However, Professor D''s actions werepletely different from what Nam Kang-ik expected. He tore the oath contract to shreds. "W-what are you doing? Do you know how much that scroll is worth?!" "It must be very expensive." "Of course it is! It''s something a professor''s sry couldn''t even dream of affording!" "Then why don''t you report it to the police? Tell them you suffered a huge loss because I tore up the contract." "Ugh..." Forcing someone to sign a contract was already a crime punishable by imprisonment, so there was no way he could report it. "You unlucky bastard! You want to get beaten up before youe to your senses, don''t you?" Nam Kang-ik decided not to go easy on him anymore. Seo Su-kyung would take care of the aftermath anyway, and more importantly, that professor''s tone was practically begging for a beating. Whoosh-! Nam Kang-ik raised his club, enchanted with a holy spell, and swung it towards his head! "Huh?" However, the club only cut through the air with a powerful whoosh. To be precise, it passed right through Professor D''s body. "This bastard...!" Woosh-! Whoosh-! Nam Kang-ik''s swings, with his unusually high Strength stat even among the Emission Department, produced powerful whooshing sounds with each strike. But somehow, the club never managed to hit Professor D. It simply passed through Professor D, who was standing still. "What''s wrong? Didn''t you say you were going to help mee to my senses?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Huff, huff...! What are you all doing? Hurry up and beat him half to death!" "Uwaaa!" At Nam Kang-ik''s roar, the other students rushed in and swung their weapons. But the result was the same. No matter how much they stabbed, shed, and smashed, they couldn''t inflict a single wound on Professor D. The parts of his body that were attacked simply dispersed like smoke and then returned to their original form. "W-what in the world is going on...?" It was a truly strange sight for Nam Kang-ik. Even he, who had been at Masterss for quite a while, had never seen such a phenomenon before. ''It''s not an Illusion Department spell, nor a Defence Department spell! What kind of spell is that?'' An unknown spell that Nam Kang-ik couldn''tprehend at his level. Professor D spoke in a condescending tone. "You seem flustered. Didn''t the academy teach you this kind of spell?" "Shut up! Our department doesn''t even deal with such trivial spells!" "Calling an evasion spell trivial... You sound just like an Emission Department student who only learns to attack." "!!" Oops. Nam Kang-ik quickly shut his mouth again. But Professor D''s mocking gaze seemed to have already grasped their identities. "You said that to me a while ago, didn''t you? To stop doing useless things and just teach the students properly." "Ugh..." "Then let me give you a lesson. Try to learn it well." Poof-! With those words, Professor D suddenly disappeared. "W-what? Where did he go?" Nam Kang-ik and the students frantically looked around, but Professor D was nowhere to be seen. Only a thick fog was spreading rapidly around them. "Where did this foge from...?" "I can''t see! Where is everyone... Argh?!" A sudden scream! Everyone''s nerves were on edge at the unexpected turn of events. "What? What''s going on!" "Everyone be careful... Ugh...!" "Kugh!" Screams continued, followed by the terrifying sounds of students copsing one after another. "W-why is this happening...?" In the blinding fog, Nam Kang-ik''s heart pounded with fear. He had a strong feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong. [Trantor - Peptobismal] [Proofreader - Max] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 23 - [Trantor - Peptobismal] [Proofreader - Max] Chapter 23 Ring ring-! Ring ring-! -The number you have dialed is not reachable. Your call is being forwarded to the voicemail... "...This idiot is pissing me off." Inside a luxury car heading to Seoul. Seo Su-kyung, dressed in an elegant evening gown, cursed at her phone from the back seat. The call log showed four missed calls to Nam Kang-ik. "Why isn''t this idiot answering the phone?" Seo Su-kyung grew increasingly irritated as time passed. She had even prepared the weapons and informed him of Professor D''s movements. The task should have beenpleted long ago... But for some reason, there was still no contact from Nam Kang-ik. "Could something have gone wrong?" Although Nam Kang-ik was an idiot, he wasn''t foolish enough to fail to deal with a single professor. He might have identally killed him due to poor power control, but the possibility of him losing to the professor was less than 10%... "...Did he really kill him?" Such a thought suddenly crossed her mind. Knowing Nam Kang-ik''s violent nature, it was possible. If that were the case, he might be unable to answer the phone because he was busy cleaning up the mess. "...Well, it can''t be helped." Seo Su-kyung decided to think that way. It would be a shame if Professor D was dead, but it couldn''t be helped. He had insulted her, so dying as retribution wasn''t an excessive end. The only regret was that his skill in teaching the crazy Bill Roper would be wasted... "Miss, we''ve arrived." Seo Su-kyung, lost in thought, snapped back to reality at the driver''s voice. She looked out the window and saw a magnificent convention center, with well-dressed people entering the building with graceful movements. "...Ahh." From here on, she had to be alert. Although that building looked the most splendid in Seoul, it was actually a battlefield inside. Stained with countless amounts of money and the blood of many people. *** "You''re right on time." As she entered the convention center, Seo Tae-hee happened to be waiting for the elevator. Seo Tae-hee looked her daughter up and down. A wrinkle formed on her smooth forehead. "...What are you wearing? Didn''t I send you clothes to choose from?" "I told you that one with all thece was too much. I''m not a child, how can I wear something like that?" "Then why did youe in such drab clothes? What will your grandfather think? He''s been waiting to see you." "Ha, all those lovely grandchildren who wouldn''t hurt even if he put them in his eyes havee from all over the world to congratte him, so I doubt he was waiting for me." "Seo Su-kyung...!" Seo Su-kyung quickly shut her mouth when Seo Tae-hee rebuked her in a harsh voice. Today was the publicationmemoration of the autobiography of Seo Jin-chul, the head of the Seo family and the CEO of International Group. With family members and various political and business figures gathered, she had to be careful with her words and actions. A single slip of the tongue in a ce like this could greatly damage her reputation. ''Especially for someone like me, who''s in a disadvantageous position from the start.'' That''s why Seo Su-kyung hated this kind of event. Everyone here seemed like an enemy. She had to desperately pretend to be perfect to avoid giving them any ammunition against her. "...By the way." Seo Tae-hee nced around and asked casually, "You''ve read the autobiography, haven''t you?" "Yes, yes." "Don''t give me a half-hearted answer." "I''ve read it so much I could recite it in my sleep, so don''t worry." Seo Su-kyung spat out the words as if she was fed up. Seo Jin-chul''s fourth autobiography, [Oveing Adversity], was a book about the hardships he faced in his younger days, from restoring a city upied by viins with the help of the Military to building his business. Even though he celebrated his birthday modestly with his family, Seo Jin-chul always held a grand banquet for his autobiography publicationmemoration. He had that much pride in his life, so reading his autobiography was a must for anyone attending. Chairman Seo Jin-chul, with his sharp eyes, could easily tell who hadn''t read his autobiography or had only skimmed through it after a few words of conversation. Ding-! Just as the elevator doors opened and the two were about to board, guided by a staff member¡­ "Wait, wait!" ¡­a man hurriedly grabbed the door just before it closed. Seo Tae-hee and Seo Su-kyung''s expressions hardened at the sight of the man. "Oh? Isn''t that my sister-inw? Hahaha! It''s been a while! How have you been?" The man who greeted them with a heartyugh and a handshake was Kim Tak-ho. He was the husband of Seo Tae-hee''s younger sister, Seo Jung-hee, and an executive at the Military Association Management Bureau. "Hello, Aunt." The handsome young man who boarded the elevator with him also greeted Seo Tae-hee. It was Seo Su-cheon, Kim Tak-ho''s son. The reason why Kim Tak-ho''s son inherited the surname Seo instead of Kim was simple. Because Chairman Seo Jin-chul had established a policy that anyone, whether from the paternal or maternal line, had to follow the Seo bloodline. The pride of the Seo family was so great that the tradition of a patriarchal society in Korea, which hadsted for over a thousand years, meant nothing in this family. "Wow, Su-kyung has grown up so much! Are you graduating soon?" Kim Tak-ho, who had married into such a prestigious family, asked Seo Su-kyung with a friendly smile. "Not yet." A somewhat cold reply. Seo Su-kyung had felt strangely ufortable around this uncle since she was young. He acted friendly, but there was something repulsive about his friendliness. Unaware of her feelings, or perhaps not caring, Kim Tak-ho continued with a friendly smile. "You''ll be done soon anyway! I heard about your performance in thest Tumen River practical training operation. I heard you sliced up a B+ rank viin like a radish?" It wasn''t strange that Kim Tak-ho knew about his niece-inw''s achievements, as a talent like Seo Su-kyung was always under observation by the Military Association. He continued his praise with a slightly envious tone. "Anyway, take it easy. Because of you, our Su-cheon is drying up,pletely drying up!" Seo Su-cheon, who had been silent until then, let out a heavy groan as his name came up. Seo Su-cheon was also a promising cadet attending a military school in Germany, but there was a difference in prestigepared to Masterss, so he didn''t receive as high an evaluation as Seo Su-kyung. ''...This is why I''m ufortable with this uncle.'' From a very young age, Seo Su-kyung had noticed that Kim Tak-ho subtlypared her to his own child. Trying to stimte Seo Su-cheon and motivate him by using her... It was a typical and shallow trick. ''It''s useless anyway.'' In Seo Su-kyung''s eyes, Seo Su-cheon wasn''t that talented. He would reach a certain position with the help of his family, but it would be difficult for him to be a first-ss soldier. The more Kim Tak-ho acted like that, the more Seo Su-cheon''s inferiorityplex grew. And an inferiorityplex that reached its limit would eventually explode. ''...Look at that. He''s doing it again.'' Seo Su-kyung nced at Seo Su-cheon''s expression. Seo Su-cheon was ring at her, very discreetly, so that only she could see. ring at her as if he would snap her neck at any moment. *** During my 137 restarts as a Blood Demon, I had sucked the blood of countless beings. If I died from arge-scale extermination spell cast by a Military on the battlefield in the 78th ythrough, I would definitely try to obtain that Military''s spell in the next 79th ythrough. In this way, as the ythroughs progressed, I discovered and acquired stronger and more useful spells. It was through this process that I was able to rise to the position of one of the Four Great Evils of High society and finally be the most notorious viin in the world. ''Of course, even then, I couldn''t defeat the 7 Heroes.'' Although I made most of the coveted spells I found my own, there were some spells that remained unobtainable no matter how many ythroughs I went through. The rare spells that kept appearing before my eyes every time I died at the hands of the 7 Heroes...! One of them was the Mist Form spell. ''Because it was the best evasion spell I had ever seen.'' The Mist Form spell, transformed the caster''s body into fog, making them immune to physical damage. It was said that damage could only be inflicted under certain conditions, but those conditions remained unknown. Enemies with the Mist trait were that difficult to deal with. If the Imugi hadn''t been in the middle of molting, I would never have been able to obtain this spell. [Casting the spell "Mist Form".] [Your ENP increases to 85/180.] "W-where did he disappear to?!" "Uwaaagh?!" As I cast the spell, I turned into mist and scattered into the air, then reformed my body at my desired location and struck each of them from behind. Even I was surprised by how helplessly they copsed. ''My Blood Demon trait is only at level 3.'' Strictly speaking, it wasn''t a level high enough to mercilessly beat up elite Military cadets like those from Masterss. That''s how overpowered the Imugi''s Mist Form spell was. ''The forced bnce adjustment wasn''t for nothing...'' I had been troubled by the Imugi''s curse, but seeing the power of the spell, I felt quiteforted. With the Mist Form spell, it seemed unlikely that I would suddenly die from taking massive damage. At least for the time being... "Damn it! How dare you use such a trivial spell in front of me! Uwaaaa!" Therge stranger, seemingly enraged, suddenly began to throw punches indiscriminately in the fog. At first, I thought he was crazy, but it seemed that wasn''t the case. The air current changed with his powerful punches, and a strong wind started to blow. ''Creating a wind strong enough to blow away the fog with just his punches.'' Thanks to him, the strangers'' vision waspletely clear. The only person I knew who could do that with their bare hands was currently in this academy. ''As expected, this guy is Nam Kang-ik.'' I had roughly guessed it from his speech and physique, but... In Military Chronicle, Nam Kang-ik was a character who boasted extraordinarybat abilities, known as "Iron Fist" since his school days. Later, he became an incredibly powerful damage-dealer type Military, his nickname changing to "Iron Fist" on the battlefield, and he often joined the 7 Heroes. One peculiar thing about Nam Kang-ik was that he acted as Seo Su-kyung''sckey, both in his school days and in the Military. ''I had a hunch when I realized they were Emission Department students, but...'' As expected, these guys were clearly here at Seo Su-kyung''s behest. Knowing who was behind this made me even more dumbfounded. To go this far just because I scolded them during ss...! ''She''s definitely not a sane character.'' I had thought this before, but I was still surprised that a character like Seo Su-kyung appeared as a mainpanion in a game that even children y. Perhaps it wasn''t Seo Su-kyung who was insane, but the developers? "Come out! You rat bastard!" Nam Kang-ik continued to throw punches tirelessly. His fierce punches, thrown in all directions, were now creating a gale. ''He''s strong. Doesn''t he get tired?'' Even Nam Kang-ik couldn''t maintain that level of strength for long. I continued to circle them in mist form, waiting for him to tire out.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Once Nam Kang-ik''s strength was exhausted, I would appear from behind andunch a surprise attack, ending the situation. That was my n. Until the message suddenly appeared. Ding-! [The deep resentment attached to your soul cries out.] [The Imugi''s Curse is activated.] [Misfortune stat increased!] [The "Mist Form" spell is canceled due to decreased concentration!] Whoosh-! With a sudden dizziness, my concentration wavered, and the spell was canceled. I was caught off guard as my body suddenly reformed. ''The curse activated at this time?'' Spell cancetion due to decreased concentration was a phenomenon that usually urred only when the ENP reached its limit or the caster''s Intelligence stat was very low... I hurriedly tried to cast the spell again. Ding-! [Casting the spell "Mist Form".] [Spell casting failed.] [The cooldown has not yet ended.] [The cooldown for "Mist Form" is 13 minutes and 28 seconds.] ''...That''s a long time.'' 13 minutes was ample time. Plenty of time for those enraged guys to beat me to a pulp. "Hahaha! It seems your precious spell isn''t working, is it?" Nam Kang-ik and the strangers raised their weapons triumphantly. Although a few of them had copsed, there were still too many for me to handle alone. I had defeated the Imugi, yet I was being held back by these guys... "Everyone, stop!" Just then, a voice was hearding up the mountain path. A voice so sharp that it shook the entrance to mountain. "That voice, could it be...?" The strangers'' faces were filled with panic. The owner of that voice was someone who could send chills down their spines. - [Trantor - Peptobismal] [Proofreader - Max] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 26 - [Trantor - Peptobismal] [Proofreader - Max] Chapter 26 Why? I hurriedly examined Arche, who was lying in front of me. Cardiac arrest, her pulse, breathing, everything had stopped. This wasn''t a state of unconsciousness that could be revived with a resurrection spell. In Military Chronicle, this meantplete death. "...She died wearing her Dragon Armor." Arche was wearing her blue armor, the Dragon Armor, that was like a symbol of Gianluca the Dragon Mage. A spell that used a summoned dragon as an armor. Gianluca always wore Dragon Armor in battle. This meant that a battle had taken ce here. "But... it''s too clean for that." There was no sign of a struggle in the ssroom. Arche had sent me the message exactly 10 minutes ago. What in the world happened here in those 10 minutes? And what was it that Arche wanted to tell me...? "W-what are you?!" Just then, the security guards rushed in. They were shocked to see the body copsed on the floor. "Oh my god! Isn''t this child from the student council...?" "Don''t move! What have you done?!" As themotion grew, people in the building started to gather in the hallway. And among them was that guy. "...I can''t believe it. To do such a thing in this academy." Kim Taek-hee, a full-time professor of the Emission Department... After examining Arche''s body and letting out a heavy sigh, he looked at me with eyes full of disgust. He looked at me as if he were facing a hateful monster. "Professor D, I didn''t expect you to go this far." "Are you using me of being the culprit?" "If not you, then who? Who else was in this ssroom? Or are you trying to say that Arche stabbed herself in the chest?" Kim Taek-hee''s eyes were fixed on me,pletely convinced that I was the culprit. It was absurd, but... the situation was definitely unfavorable for me. Do Jin-hak already had a bad reputation. On top of that, I was the first to discover the murder scene... There was no way to avoid suspicion in this situation. "...This is absurd." Nevertheless, I scoffed. Even though it was natural for me to be suspected, I couldn''t just let this situation slide. If I did nothing, the academy would definitely frame me as the murderer. "Why do you think I would kill a student in the ssroom? It''s obvious that people would gather like this." "How would I know? We normal people have no idea what a psychopath scientist is thinking." "If you''re so suspicious, why don''t you check the camera?" I said, pointing to the CCTV installed in the hallway. "It must have captured everything. That the murder happened before I arrived, and who else was in this ssroom..." "Wait... everyone, look at this!" Just then, another professor who was examining Arche''s body called out to everyone. He took out a magnifying ss and carefully examined Arche''s body as if he had discovered something. Pointing at her pierced chest, he said, "Here! There''s a mark left here!" "A mark?" "It''s the magic circle that appears when casting a spell! The culprit must have used a special spell to break Arche''s Dragon Armor!" Gasps erupted from the others at the professor''s surprising discovery. I was also surprised. ''They used a spell?'' I hadn''t noticed such traces earlier because I was flustered... I focused on the professor''s words. "Then if we analyze that magic circle, we can find out who used the spell?" "Tell us quickly! What kind of magic circle is it?" "Let''s see... this magic circle... it seems to have an X mark on it?" "X...? What''s that?" Doubt clouded the faces of those who didn''t know what it meant. But my anxiety grew rapidly after hearing those words. The X mark on the Dragon Armor... Could it be...? "Wait! X... isn''t that the Deconstructionist Department level 1 spell?" "That''s right! The X mark! The spell that madman Bill Roper used to find the viins'' weaknesses on the battlefield!" Although the Deconstructionist Department was a very minor department, its spells were quite well-known thanks to the exploits of the hero Military, Bill Roper.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Therefore, people seemed to know what the X mark meant. And that the culprit had used the X mark to find the weakness in the Dragon Armor and attack. "Then the culprit is from the Deconstructionist Department...?" People''s eyes were now focused on me again. With even more certainty than before. Then Kim Taek-hee stepped forward and said, "The Deconstructionist Department was newly established this semester and has just started its first ss. There''s no way a student would have already learned the level 1 spell, so it must have been used by someone who already knew the spell." As if looking at a pathetic opponent Kim Taek-hee drew a sword from his waist and asked, "Do you have anything else to say? Professor D... no, murderer." Shing-! A sharp de, imbued with a profound aura, was pointed at my neck. The security guards, professors, and other people slowly surrounded me with meaningful looks. I remained silent before them. There was nothing I could say in this situation. *** "...I never thought this would happen." Inside the prison cell, surrounded by iron bars and walls, I looked down at the heavy chains binding my wrists and ankles and muttered to myself. "I thought I''d end up here someday..." Masterss was a ce where dangerous incidents often urred, so it was well-equipped with such confinement facilities. Since Do Jin-hak was a character who often did suspicious things, I had expected to end up in the academy prison once or twice while disguised as him. "But I didn''t expect that day toe so soon." To be imprisoned less than a week after arriving at the academy. The future looked bleak. No... was there even a future? "If I stay here like this... it''s game over, isn''t it?" The chains in the prison were made of a material called [Magic Stone], and spellcasting was impossible while bound by these chains. While I couldn''t resist, a physical examination would be conducted during the trial or investigation, and then it would only be a matter of time before my identity was discovered... In the current situation, it seemed like a 99% chance. "Even I have to admit, it really looks like I''m the culprit." In my ssroom, the body of Arche, whom I discovered first, killed by my spell. All the circumstantial evidence pointed to me as the culprit. The circumstances were too obvious to be a coincidence, and no matter how much I thought about it, only one conclusion came to mind. That this incident was a conspiracy targeting me. "Who in the world would do this..." Arche¡¯s face, dead with her eyes wide open, flickered before my eyes. Who did this? Why? How did they kill her? No, why Arche, of all people? Out of all the students, why Arche?! "She was therade candidate I finally found..." Perhaps it was because I had lived too long as a Blood Demon? Rather than sadness or regret over someone''s death, the frustration of my ns being disrupted was much greater. For some time now, I had felt that something important was disappearing from me as a human. "...But it''s such a waste." I never imagined that Gianluca, of all people, would die so meaninglessly. She was the Dragon Mage who would be the vanguard of the rebel army. Equipped with Dragon Armor, she was the most difficult opponent to deal with on the battlefield. It was hard to imagine her dying from a single blow. "...Is it because of the X mark?" The Deconstructionist Department level 1 spell that identified the structural weaknesses of objects. It was highly likely that the Dragon Armor''s defense was broken because of that spell. If so, it meant that the culprit was capable of using the Deconstructionist Department spell perfectly. "Among the Deconstructionist Department students, the student at that level is..." Seo Su-kyung''s face came to mind, but I couldn''t be sure. As Kim Taek-hee said, the Deconstructionist Department sses had just started the other day. Even with Seo Su-kyung''s genius setting, it was impossible for her to use a new spell so quickly and perfectly. "Moreover, there''s no motive." Although Seo Su-kyung and Arche didn''t get along, it wasn''t to the point of killing each other. Or was there something between them that I didn''t know about...? ''...Something.'' What kind of incident could there be between Arche and Seo Su-kyung? I didn''t know. Originally, Arche was a character who left the academy early in the story. There was so little information about any episodes between the two... "Professor...!" "Hmm?" I had been hearing something for a while now, but no matter how much I looked around, there was no one around the prison. "Professor D! I''m here! Here!" I realized that the increasingly clear voice wasing from right next to my shoulder. Looking closely, I saw something the size of a finger hanging from a chain connected to the ceiling. The object was tiny, but the white dress it was wearing and the neat blonde bob were very familiar. "Professor Alfred?" Alfred Clementine came down to my shoulder with a bright smile. "You finally noticed! Do you know how many times I called you?" Despite her words, her voice was barely audible, perhaps because she was so small. I brought my ear closer to hear her voice better. "Oh dear, to be trapped so deep inside the prison, even within the prison. It took me hours to get here with this body." Clementine grumbled that she had to use the [Miniaturization] spell from outside the building to avoid the guards'' eyes. "The Miniaturization spell is a Transformation Department spell, how can an alchemy professor use such a spell?" "I took a Transformation Department ss as a minor a long time ago. It was when I was eight, so I barely managed to cast the spell by recalling my memories." "..." To remember and use a spell she learned briefly at the age of eight. It was a genius that left me speechless. "Anyway, that''s not important. It''s a big deal!" Clementine began to exin the situation outside to me. An emergency faculty meeting was called with the authority to summon the president, and they started to thoroughly investigate my office, my quarters, and even my past activities. "What about the academy cameras? The person who entered the ssroom with Arche must have been caught on camera." "Well... they said the security cameras were temporarily shut down because they were updating the security system in the maintenance room, and it happened to be during the time of the incident." Clementine spoke as if it were a strange coincidence, but it didn''t sound like a coincidence to me at all. This could only be seen as someone''s scheme. A very carefully calcted one. "Um... what are you going to do now?" Clementine asked, stamping her feet. Even with her shrunken body, herrge eyes were clearly filled with worry. I suddenly became curious. "Professor Alfred, do you believe that I didn''t kill anyone?" "Of course. There''s no way you would." "Why? If you''ve heard the rumors about me, you''d think I''m capable of it." "Well, rumors are just rumors... and more importantly, Professor D, you''re a good person." Clementine stared at me with wide eyes. Her face was so full of trust that it was disconcerting. ''To trust someone so easily.'' Clementine had only helped me with a quest once at Yongmun Mountain. So our rtionship was only at the "Friendly" level, lower than Arche''s... Even so, seeing her trust me like this, it seemed she was set as a very innocent and naive character. ''...Then I can''t help but take advantage of this.'' I felt a little sorry and guilty, but... Fortunately, my long life as a viin had dulled my sense of guilt. "Professor Alfred, can you do me a favor?" "A favor? What is it?" "I need to see Arche''s body. Right now." - [Trantor - Peptobismal] [Proofreader - Max]