"So what?"
After hearing Yohan's words, Si-ban twisted his expression.
Then he swept back his slicked-back hair once and adjusted his glasses with his middle finger.
Si-ban made a firm judgment and spoke to Yohan.
"At Pluton, rank is hierarchy. You should know that well."
"Are you talking about the score from a mere entrance exam?"
"Mere? Did you say mere? That sounds to me like you are ignoring Pluton's tradition."
Yohan could not understand why instructors and students alike were so fixated on Pluton's decisions.
Tradition was only tradition. Was it not a stubborn old story that ought to change—in other words, a matter of the past?
In the end, what mattered was whether he was growing right now, not what score others had assigned him.
They did not even know something that basic, yet they blindly believed in Pluton's tradition while talking about their current ranks.
For the sake of revenge, Yohan had to grow even more than he had now.
To Yohan, who believed that Pluton's traditions could be changed as much as he wanted, Si-ban's words were incomprehensible.
"You have a very narrow way of thinking."
"What?"
"Pluton's tradition? I can change crap like that as much as I want with my own power. And according to what you said, I entered as the top entrant, so I should be above you."
"B-But you are in Class F! Besides, everyone knows you got in through manipulation!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes. That is why, because there is a problem with your skill, you entered Class F yourself, is it not?"
To those who could not know Yohan's plan, it was accepted in this way, as if there was a problem with his skill.
Yohan had no intention of persuading each of them one by one.
He only had to prove it with skill.
And because that was the best way to realize his great plan of revenge, he had chosen Class F.
For ordinary people who did not know that, it was natural to be suspicious, and he thought it was understandable for them to make wild assumptions as well.
"If you have that many complaints, I will show you properly in this Labyrinthos Maze. What skill really is."
When Yohan snorted, Si-ban flared up and shouted at him.
"An idiot backdoor-admission bastard with an F-grade ability suited only to Class F!"
"Run your mouth as much as you want. Primitive insults like that do not hurt me at all."
"Urgh! You deficient bastard! We will see in this exam!"
Yohan waved his hand over his head and headed into the forest.
After entering the deserted forest for about five minutes, he checked for any presence.
‘No one is here.’
After confirming that no one was there, Yohan operated his device and made a call.
Ring, ring.
After the signal rang a few times, a familiar woman's voice came through the device.
The woman visible through the video call was Mi-suk.
[Did you call, Yohan?]
"Yeah, Mi-suk. There is something I need to ask."
[I told you not to call me Mi-suk.... Sigh. So, something you need to ask?]
"There is something I need investigated this time, so I would like you to look into it."
[Right now?]
Now, following Yohan's instructions, she was working not in the Shadow Unit's Intelligence Team, but in the Hangeom Family's Intelligence Department, and she possessed two authorities.
Because of that, she had mountains of work to do, but Yohan's request came first.
"Yeah. About the Yellow Gate we are about to enter now, the Labyrinthos Maze, as well."
[I am busy enough as it is, but I will begin the investigation immediately according to your will.]
"Good. I will send the investigation targets by email."
Yohan operated his device and sent the names of Si-ban and the Class D and Class E students.
After checking the email, Mi-suk began operating her computer and searching for information.
[By the way, you caused quite the scene again this time.]
"I told you I am quick when it comes to handling work."
[I told you that is not praise. I heard you ignored Pluton's tradition and held a one-versus-many sparring match.]
"It is a little strange hearing even you bring up tradition, but that is true."
[Is breaking tradition your hobby?]
"That... may be possible?"
He could hear Mi-suk sigh over the device.
Even so, Mi-suk, visible through the video call, did not stop and continued tapping the keyboard.
Several monitors stood before her eyes, and she checked all of them while moving her eyes.
[Yes, breaking tradition may be your hobby. But please do not stand out too much.]
"Why?"
[The Hangeom Family is looking at you with rather unfavorable eyes right now. The Family Head is pleased because the sprout he picked is growing well, though.]
"So that means the people beneath him are not looking at me favorably?"
[Yes, that is the atmosphere in the Hangeom Family.]
Yohan placed a hand on his chin and thought for a moment.
‘So Do-cheol is not paying direct attention to me yet.’
That was good news for him.
If Do-cheol personally moved to stop Yohan, there was nothing he could do right now.
However, if it was the people beneath him, Yohan could handle them well enough.
And from actions taken without the Family Head's command, he could create openings.
"Even so, I will not stop."
[Even knowing it is dangerous?]
"That is the path I chose, and the method toward my revenge."
Hearing Yohan's words, Mi-suk could only sigh.
Even so, she trusted Yohan.
If he had won the sparring match only half-heartedly, Mi-suk would have tried harder to stop Yohan, and if necessary, she would have thought of turning her back on him.
But there had been no problem in what he had done, and the ability he displayed was truly overwhelming, so her expectation that Yohan might be able to accomplish it was growing higher and higher.
[Yohan, the investigation is finished.]
"That was fast."
[I am quick when it comes to handling work. Please do not look down on the Hangeom Family's intelligence network. Digging up one or two kids like this is a piece of cake.]
"The Hangeom Family.... Yes, the Family should live up to its name."
[From what year would you like the materials sent?]
"All of them."
[It will take a long time to read....]
"Do not worry. What did I say?"
[You said you were quick when it comes to handling work.]
"Now you are finally starting to know me."
Ding.
Before long, a large number of files arrived in Yohan's email.
They were files containing information on the three students, including Si-ban.
"Yeah, I confirmed that the email came in."
[Then I will tell you about this Gate as well.]
"Send that by email too. I can check it."
[Understood. I will send it by email.]
This time as well, an email quickly arrived.
Inside it were explanations of Knossos Palace's Labyrinthos Maze and the Minotaur.
In addition, it contained what gimmick caused the magic beast to appear, as well as the Hunters' plan.
Click.
After the call with Mi-suk ended, Yohan checked the email she had sent.
A large number of files were organized by person.
They were all materials on the students he had requested an investigation on, from their origins to how they had lived until now.
‘So this is the Hangeom Family's intelligence network.’
Yohan began speed-reading through them.
After quickly checking all the information, Yohan returned to the exam site.
***
At the place Yohan had left, Si-ban could not overcome his anger and shouted.
"That rude bastard!"
Then he looked at the remaining Class D and Class E students and asked,
"Do you not think so too?"
"Y-Yeah."
While Si-ban was forcibly extracting sympathy from the others like that, Jung-han looked at him and sneered.
Seeing that, Si-ban looked at Jung-han and spoke.
"What are you doing right now?"
"Ah... sorry. I did not mean to laugh at you. It is just that you are too funny."
"Funny? You think this situation is funny?"
Jung-han stopped laughing and looked at Si-ban.
"Yeah. No matter how much you people act up and think you are in a high position, you are beneath Yohan."
Because Jung-han had personally experienced the one-versus-many sparring match, he could say it with certainty.
Yohan had thoughts, and he had a plan, and that plan had been carried out perfectly.
Was the result not that the Class F students were now going through unreasonable training?
"Beneath?"
Si-ban approached Jung-han and pushed his shoulder with a tap, tap.
"The ones beneath are you people, are they not? You Class F insects."
"Run your mouth as much as you want. You will realize it soon enough."
Jung-han spoke without caring.
At Jung-han's attitude, Si-ban swept his hair back and adjusted his glasses with his middle finger.
"What would a guy with Chairman Shin as his backing know?"
At his words, Jung-han grew tense.
"Why are you bringing up my father?"
"You and that rude bastard are the same, are you not?"
Then Si-ban shrugged his shoulders and continued speaking.
"Both of you entered through dishonest methods."
"What?!"
Jung-han approached Si-ban and grabbed him by the collar.
With his huge frame, Jung-han lifted Si-ban just like that.
"Keh, keh."
"Take that back! I entered this place with my own strength!"
Only after the Class D and Class E students stopped Jung-han did he put him down.
Si-ban coughed repeatedly, then caught his breath and spoke.
"Strength? Someone who says he entered through skill ended up in Class F. Whether what you say is true or not, Chairman Shin must be disappointed."
"You bastard! You are going to keep running your mouth to the end!"
Jung-han shook off the Class D and Class E students and tried to approach him.
However, Si-ban stepped back and said what he wanted to say.
"A stupid bastard who is only strong. You will be in Class F for the rest of your life!"
"Do not act so proud just because you are in Class C!"
"Just Class C? I am first in Class C! The class president!"
Jung-han approached Si-ban and swung his fist, but his emotional punch only cut through empty air.
"If you are the vice class president of Class F, I can tell exactly what Class F is like!"
"You are all mouth!"
Instructor Haru did not stop the division that had broken out among them.
In an exam where they had to share opinions through mana sensing and cooperate to find the mana crystal, division was fatal.
Because she knew that, and because it was a part that would be reflected in the exam, she deliberately did not step in.
Jung-han caught sight of Yohan approaching from far away.
Realizing he was doing something pointless, he stopped throwing punches.
Yohan would not waste strength on something like this.
"We will see after we enter the Gate."
"Yes, though you will have to follow my orders."
***
When Yohan left the forest and returned to the exam site, the exam was already in progress.
He saw several students coming out of the Gate holding mana crystals.
Mana Specialist Instructor Haru looked at the students bringing out the mana crystals and spoke.
"Clear time: 13 minutes 57 seconds."
Hearing Haru's words, the students each rejoiced, clenching their fists or clapping hands with one another, taking poses that said they had done it.
"Where did you go?!"
Na Si-ban spoke as he looked at Yohan.
Yohan silently looked at him.
"It is almost our turn! Surely you were not so scared of entering the Gate that you went ahead and pissed yourself?"
"Shut up."
"Hmph. Getting scared beforehand. An actual Gate is...."
As Yohan and Na Si-ban were talking, Haru looked at them and shouted.
"Next, the blue group. Please enter the Gate."