“Hmm... I’m making the rounds of the classes as the principal told me to, but is there actually anything for me to do here?”
Following Principal Choi Hyeon-seok’s orders, I had started with Y-Class, the grade directly above Zero Class, and was making my way through the classes one by one. I took a long drag from the cigarette between my lips, exhaled a lengthy stream of smoke, and wore a bored expression.
“Phew... The Zero Class kids I’m in charge of have already gone home, and it seems the teachers in charge of the other classes have all taken their own students away. I don’t see any reason I need to stay here.”
As I slowly made my rounds, I had somehow reached B-Class.
“Well, they’re teachers at a prestigious Academy. They must have escorted them away on their own. Besides, the only ones left are the A-Class kids, who are said to be the most capable in this Academy. And even if he’s a Sex Demon, that bastard Ji Geon-hyeong is there... He’ll become a Villain later, but not yet. I should head back to the shelter, make a plan with the teachers, then go blow open those Villain bastards’ heads.”
“To think you would dare join hands with Villains! I will never forgive you! Prepare yourself! Haaah—!”
“Huh? What kind of bullshit is that? Joining hands with Villains? Where is that coming from? It sounds close...”
Ding—!
[Skill ‘Third Eye’ Activated.]
◎ Within your field of vision, two people are fighting fiercely some distance away.
- Ji Geon-hyeong (Spearman)
- Park Chang-hu (Fighter)
Just as I was about to turn back and head to the shelter, a familiar voice reached my ears. I immediately used Third Eye and decided to observe the situation from a slight distance for the moment.
“What is this? Why is Teacher Park Chang-hu charging at Ji Geon-hyeong? What the hell happened?”
[I was an Academy teacher too, and I went as far as to betray you. Do you really think I wouldn’t have told them where your shelter is?]
‘Betrayal? So that bastard Ji Geon-hyeong did choose to betray us?’
[By now, the principal and teachers who went there are probably all dead. I heard that a fair number of organization members were deployed.]
‘Organization members? I don’t care, but the other teachers could be in danger.’
[Every child here will be put to very good use—! Students who refuse to follow Root’s will or possess useless abilities will be used as experimental subjects, while the capable ones will have their memories reset, be brainwashed, and raised as organization members.]
‘They’re going to turn the children into organization members or use them as experimental subjects? Come to think of it, in the memories of my past life as Cha Tae-seok, I had heard that Villains once invaded Ares Academy. As far as I know, though, there hadn’t been any great losses thanks to Helios’s rapid suppression. It feels as though things have changed from what I knew.’
In the memories of the past life I had lived as Cha Tae-seok, I distinctly recalled that although Ares Academy had been invaded by Villains, there had been no major casualties thanks to Helios’s swift suppression. Ji Geon-hyeong, too, was supposed to become a Villain only much later after this incident. It seemed that my entering Baek Seon-woo’s body had caused an entirely different development from the past to unfold.
[Some of the pretty female cadets will be mine, and the rest are scheduled to be divided among the organization members according to their contributions. Han Ji-hye in particular was promised to me.]
‘As expected of that Sex Demon bastard.’
[Originally, I intended to quietly abduct Han Ji-hye and have her. But that bastard Baek Seon-woo needlessly stuck his nose in and put me in a foul mood~! That bastard was talking to Han Ji-hye, the woman who was going to be mine! I wondered how I should punish him, and then Root happened to make a request. Thanks to that, I was able to frame him with their help.]
“Oh-ho~ So you were the insider bastard who framed me, Ji Geon-hyeong—!”
I had been planning to intervene partway through and keep Ji Geon-hyeong in check as I observed the situation. However, I had finally found the bastard who had tried to frame the former Baek Seon-woo... no, the owner of this body, and I recalled the hardships I had gone through to clear my name. With the fury I had buried deep in my chest, I poured my rage into my gun and began sniping at Ji Geon-hyeong.
BANG—!
BOOM—!
‘!!!’
Ding—!
[Skill – Bullet of Rage]
◎ This bullet can only be used when the user is filled with rage.
Damage varies according to the user’s rage state. (It begins at basic attack +20%.)
Because it is a bullet created from rage, the opponent can never evade it. (Hit Rate: 100%)
※ Wow~! Anyone hit by this can only cry, “I’m fucked”—!
“You really are going to have to cry that you’re fucked today.”
***
“Kuhh—!”
The bullet that struck Ji Geon-hyeong’s side tore a massive hole through him. He let out a tremendous scream, as though he were in unbearable pain.
“Aaaagh—! What the hell is this... Urrgh—! Aaaah—!”
“What else would it be? A bullet of justice that pierced your side, Ji Geon-hyeong.”
“!!! B-Baek Seon-woo—! Kugh—! Why are you... here?”
“You don’t need to know that. More importantly, were you the one who framed me?”
“Ghh...”
“Your silence makes it seem that I’m right.”
“H-how could your attack be so easy to...”
“You talk too much.”
Click—!
As I loaded a round and began aiming at his head, Ji Geon-hyeong, utterly startled by the sudden attack, barely raised one hand as though trying to stop me.
“W-wait—!”
“Do you have any last words you want to leave behind? Sorry, but I don’t want to hear a Villain’s last words.”
‘His attack was this strong...? Wasn’t that bastard a Normal Grade? I was defeated this helplessly? This makes no sense at all... More importantly, my injuries are too severe. I need to run. The principal and teachers are probably already dead at the hands of the other Villains, so there is no reason to take a risk here. I’ll negotiate with him and get out of here first.’
“Hey—! Baek Seon-woo! Let’s talk!”
“Talk?”
“Y-yes—! Talk!”
“Let’s hear what you have to say.”
“If you kill me here, the children trapped over there will soon die!”
“What?”
“That thing you see before your eyes isn’t just a transparent barrier. Once someone is trapped inside that space, energy will gradually drain from their entire body. First, their mana will be drained, and eventually, even their life will be steadily eaten away. Unless the caster dispels it or the trapped people break through the wall themselves, they will eventually meet their deaths—!”
“!!! The children could die? Ji Geon-hyeong, you crazy bastard! Can you still call yourself a teacher?!”
At the words that the children could die, Park Chang-hu flared up. His face was red with anger, but Ji Geon-hyeong completely ignored him. Clutching his side, where the bullet had torn a hole, he gave me a wicked smile and spoke.
“If you let me go here, I will immediately dispel the transparent barrier. I will definitely keep my promise! For your information, even most Rare Grade experts can’t easily break that thing. It’s a creation developed by our great Root.”
“...”
“Choose! Will you fight me to the end here, or will you save the children? For your information, even if I die, as I said, that thing cannot easily be dispelled...”
BANG—!
Crackle—! Crack—! Crumble—!
“Hey—! What should we do? It broke way too easily.”
“!!! H-how did you... with just one bullet...”
The transparent barrier that he had set up shattered with a single bullet, and Ji Geon-hyeong stared at the sight with an expression that showed he could not believe it. I loaded a round, aimed at his head, and spoke.
Click—!
“There are two things you don’t know.”
“Two things? What do you mean...?”
“First, I’m Baek Seon-woo, but I’m not Baek Seon-woo.”
“What? What are you talking about? You’re Baek Seon-woo, but you aren’t Baek Seon-woo?”
“There isn’t enough time to explain that in detail to a Villain bastard who’s about to die, so I’ll leave it at that. Second—! My Awakened Grade is higher than you think.”
“Awakened Grade? Higher than I think? D-don’t tell me... You’re a Hero Grade?”
‘Baek Seon-woo is a Hero Grade? That’s impossible—! I personally confirmed through the teacher profile system that he was Normal Grade...’
Ji Geon-hyeong looked as though my incomprehensible words had thrown him into confusion. He wore an expression that showed he could not believe it, and I exhaled the smoke from the cigarette in my mouth before smiling and speaking.
“A little higher—!”
“What? What do you... !!! D-don’t tell me you’re M-myth...”
BANG—!
“Kuhhh—!”
Before Ji Geon-hyeong could finish speaking, I accurately planted another Bullet of Rage in his head. Struck by my bullet, he collapsed limply like a deflated balloon. His body twitched as he wore a vacant expression, repeatedly muttering that he could not believe this reality as death slowly came for him.
“H-how... you... This makes no sense... It makes no sense...”
“I-is Teacher Ji Geon-hyeong dead, Teacher Baek?”
Watching the situation while holding his wounded arm, Park Chang-hu asked me with a worried look in his eyes. I nodded at him, flicked the cigarette butt I had been smoking onto Ji Geon-hyeong’s head as he slowly died, and spoke to Teacher Park.
“I have definitely ended his life.”
“Ghh... To think Teacher Ji would betray us and side with the Villains.”
Perhaps because of the injury Ji Geon-hyeong had inflicted on him earlier, Park Chang-hu could barely raise himself to his feet. He then looked at me, hesitated for a moment, and bowed his head in thanks.
“Thanks to you, Teacher Baek Seon-woo, the children and I were able to survive.”
“Save the thanks for later. The situation is urgent, so let’s move to the shelter first.”
“I think that would be best. But judging from what Teacher Ji said earlier, by now, the shelter has probably...”
According to Ji Geon-hyeong, the space where the principal, teachers, and cadets from the various Academy classes had evacuated was likely already under their control. Park Chang-hu looked hesitant.
“Teacher Park, take the children and move somewhere else first.”
“!!! Me?”
“What, are you going to take the children with that injured body and quietly let yourselves be captured by the Villains? Well~ if you surrender on the condition that you hand over the children, you might become a member of that organization.”
“W-what are you saying?! Even if it kills me, I have no intention of handing the children over to them!”
[Skill ‘Third Eye’ Activated.]
◎ He is sending you a gaze filled with his own upright convictions.
- Target: Park Chang-hu (Fighter)
‘I don’t know about his skill, but he seems to be a teacher with firm convictions. Besides, the blue energy is darker than when I saw it before. I can entrust the children to this man.’
After confirming Park Chang-hu’s thoughts, I took something out from inside my clothes and handed it to him.
“Take this first.”
“!!! This is...”
“A Healing Potion. If you drink it, you should be able to move your body to some extent.”
“Just by looking at it, it seems to be at least a High-Grade Healing Potion. How did you obtain something like this? Unless you are a guild member, it would be difficult to buy even on an ordinary teacher’s salary...”
“I received it from Seo Ha-yoon of Abel Guild.”
“!!! Seo Ha-yoon? The only granddaughter of Guildmaster Seo Do-gyeom?”
“That’s right.”
“H-how?”
“I’ll explain the details later. First, take the children and evacuate to a safe place within the Academy.”
“A-all right. I’ll do that. By the way, Teacher Baek, aren’t you coming with us?”
“I’m going to the shelter first to check on it.”
“!!! The shelter? But it is dangerous for you to go alone!”
“Do I really look as though I’m in danger?”
“...”
Both Park Chang-hu and the children trapped inside the space had seen with their own eyes how effortlessly I had eliminated Ji Geon-hyeong earlier. Unable to refute me, Park Chang-hu nodded as though he understood and began speaking to the children.
“All right, follow me—! There is a secondary shelter, so we will move there first and request support from elsewhere! Hurry, let’s move!”
Just as the children looked back and forth between Park Chang-hu and me before slowly following him, a beautiful female student with long, dark-brown hair and an unmistakably innocent air approached me. She lowered her head deeply.
“T-thank you, Teacher.”
“Who are you?”
‘I’ve seen that face somewhere... Who is she?’
“My name is Han Ji-hye.”
“Han Ji-hye? The daughter of Helios’s Guildmaster?”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
With a voice that seemed to tremble, Han Ji-hye looked at me.