Back when I lived my past life as Cha Tae-seok, known as the Villain Sniper.
BANG—!
“Guhk—! Just who the hell are you? Are you a villain like us? Or are you a Hunter?”
“Well... I don’t belong anywhere, you see. I only entered this Labyrinth Dungeon because I accepted a request from the bereaved families your organization victimized.”
“You crazy bastard! Do you even know where you are, causing trouble here by yourself...”
“I told you, I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m here to do the job I was hired for.”
“Do you have any idea what you’ve just touched?! This is one of the Labyrinth Dungeons managed by our organization, Root! By now, the sound of your gunshots will have brought countless members of our organization running—”
“Ah~ The guys in this cave? Sorry, but if they were all you had here, you’re the only one left now. What are you going to do about that?”
“!!! Th-that can’t be! There were even several Rare Grade Awakened in this cave alone...”
“Do you think that means anything to me?”
“What?”
CLACK—!
“W-wait! You said you accepted a request from the bereaved families our organization harmed, right? Then I’ll pay you double the commission fee... No, three times as much!”
“Forget it. I’m not interested in money.”
“Then I’ll give you a position as an executive in our organization! You said you didn’t belong anywhere, right? How about joining us? I’ll personally submit a letter of recommendation to the higher-ups and make you an executive here—”
BANG—!
“Guhk—! I can’t die like this...”
“Are you insane? As if I’d be crazy enough to join hands with villains like you.”
After dealing with the last man in the Labyrinth Dungeon, who had desperately struggled to avoid death by offering me money and an executive position, I leaned against the cave wall. I pulled out a cigarette from my inner pocket, lit it, and exhaled smoke as I rested for a moment.
“Whew~! That takes care of the group commission from the bereaved families that organization harmed. Now, I should get going... !!! W-wait! What’s that?”
Behind the dead man before me, I noticed a space that felt strangely out of place. I stared at it for a long time, then, after a brief moment of hesitation, dropped my lit cigarette to the floor and quickly extinguished it.
As I gathered the gun I had left on the ground, the thought of leaving the Labyrinth Dungeon at once, with that strange space behind me, crossed my mind.
“I only need to deal with what I was hired to do. There’s no need to let my curiosity get the better of me, right? The bereaved families will be waiting for the results, so I should return first.”
That was how I left that place behind in the past and departed from the Labyrinth Dungeon. It gradually faded from my memory.
‘To think that place I saw back then was this Labyrinth Dungeon’s hidden area.’
“How did you find this place in one go? And without any tools, no less.”
Even Awakened with exceptional detection abilities normally carried a device to guide their direction, or at the very least a basic detection tool, when entering an unfamiliar dungeon.
Yet I was walking around without the slightest hesitation, as though I had memorized every path in this Labyrinth Dungeon, and I had found the hidden area in an instant.
“I'm just good at following my instincts.”
“Does your Awakened Class include a detection ability alongside its gunmanship?”
“Well... I do have something similar.”
‘It’s not exactly wrong. I do possess the skill Third Eye.’
Seo Ha-yoon clearly had many questions about me, but finding Mandrake Fruits to treat her grandfather was her priority. After entering the hidden area, she began harvesting the fruits before her.
“To think there are this many Mandrake Fruits in a hidden area.”
“Ordinary Mandrakes only bloom flowers, but the ones in this hidden area bear fruit as well.”
“I think we’ve secured enough now.”
“Isn’t that a little too much? I would’ve thought one or two roots would be enough for treatment.”
“I need to keep some extra just in case. I also want to harvest them for research.”
‘That sounds like Seo Ha-yoon, all right.’
As the granddaughter of Abel Guild’s Guildmaster, who could claim to be South Korea’s best at researching buff potions, Seo Ha-yoon showed great interest in the Mandrake Fruits. She stuffed them into the Inventory Space she had summoned until it was full.
“Still, I think you’re taking too many...”
“The more research samples, the better.”
Like a child who had found a new toy right in front of her, she wore an excited expression. Once she seemed satisfied, she smiled brightly and offered me her thanks.
“This will be a tremendous help in treating my grandfather. Thank you very much.”
Seeing Seo Ha-yoon politely bow her head, I scratched my head and spoke.
“Ms. Seo Ha-yoon?”
“Yes?”
“Shouldn’t we keep our promise to each other?”
“A p-promise?”
“Didn’t I mention it before we entered this hidden area? I believe we agreed that if I found the herb you wanted, you would do something for me.”
“O-of course I remember! I’m not shameless enough to forget something like that. What do you want? Money? If you’d like, I can arrange a position for you in our guild. Tell me what you want, Mr. Baek Seon-woo, and I’ll do my best to accommodate you.”
“Hmm... I don’t particularly want money or a position in Abel Guild.”
“!!! You don’t want money or a position? Then what do you want?”
“The influence of Abel Guild.”
“Pardon? The guild’s... influence?”
Seo Ha-yoon looked troubled by my unexpected request for Abel Guild’s influence rather than money or a position. I smiled at her and spoke.
“Three days from now, I would like Abel Guild to help me.”
“!!! Wh-what? Wasn’t that bastard suspended?”
“Can they really let a trash teacher who stalked a student walk around freely inside the school?”
“Why isn’t the security guard showing up? They need to throw that perverted teacher out right now!”
As I strode proudly into Ares Academy, leaving the students’ murmurs behind me—
“W-what? Mr. Baek?! No, Baek Seon-woo, what are you doing at this Academy? What are the guards doing? Letting trash like that through... This is unbelievable.”
The man frowned at me and stared with disgust. He even pinched his nose with his fingers as though I smelled foul.
At the sight of him, I instinctively felt anger rising within me. I grabbed him by the collar and spoke.
“!!! Guhk—! Let go of me! Where do you think you’re causing trouble after getting suspended for stalking a student? Do you want to die?”
“If anyone wants to die, it’s you. Why the hell is a fucking bastard like you at this Academy? As a teacher, no less.”
The man standing before me was named Ji Geon-hyeong.
Known by nicknames such as the Sex Fiend and the Sex Demon, he was a villain who committed various crimes by targeting female Hunters and female Academy students weaker than himself.
Back when I lived as Cha Tae-seok, the Villain Sniper, he had died by my hand. Now that he stood before me, one hand instinctively tightened around his collar, almost as if I were choking him.
“Guhk—! Let go! Where does a lowly Normal Grade like you, who hasn’t even Awakened properly, get off acting so arrogant?!”
“To think I’d run into a Sex Fiend bastard here.”
“What the hell do you mean, Sex Fiend? Guhk—! You’re the one who stalked students! Let go of me right now!”
“What if I don’t?”
“Have you forgotten that I’m a Spearman? If you don’t let go, I’ll stab you in the stomach right here in front of the students!”
“Stab me in the stomach... If you’re so confident, then go ahead and try.”
“W-what? You bastard! Fine! As a teacher of Ares Academy, I’m going to subdue an unauthorized intruder! You’d better prepare yourself to be taught a hard lesson!”
“I think you’re the one who needs to be taught a hard lesson.”
“Both of you, stop it!”
“!!! H-Headmaster!”
Just as I was about to fight Ji Geon-hyeong, Headmaster Choi Hyeon-seok waved his hand through the air and stopped us.
“What are you two doing here?! Return to your respective positions at once!”
“Headmaster! How can you say that? As you can see, someone has unlawfully entered our Academy!”
“Unlawfully entered?”
“That’s right. This Baek Seon-woo bastard has me by the collar right now!”
Ji Geon-hyeong pointed at me and smiled viciously, as though he had already won. I let out a deep sigh, released his collar, and bowed slightly to Headmaster Choi Hyeon-seok.
“It’s been a while, Headmaster.”
“I’ve been waiting for you, Teacher Baek.”
“!!! Y-you were waiting for him, Headmaster?”
Ignoring Ji Geon-hyeong as though he had not spoken, Choi Hyeon-seok continued.
“The other guests have not arrived yet, so come inside first, Teacher Baek. Let’s have a cup of tea together.”
“H-Headmaster! Tea? Baek Seon-woo is not a teacher at this Academy! He’s a shameless man who stalked a student—”
“Teacher Ji. Be quiet and control the students nearby. Have them return to their places.”
“!!! Guhk... Understood.”
When Choi Hyeon-seok gave the order with an extremely cold expression, Ji Geon-hyeong had no choice but to lower his head and begin controlling the students around him.
Once the situation had been settled to some extent, the Headmaster gestured to me.
“Now, Teacher Baek, come inside.”
“Yes, Headmaster.”
Following his guidance, I naturally made my way toward the Headmaster’s office.
“So, just as you told me before, you claim that you were framed.”
“That’s right, Headmaster.”
“Hmm...”
After I firmly stated that I had been framed, Headmaster Choi Hyeon-seok pondered for a moment. Then he lifted the teacup on the table with both hands, took a sip, and carefully spoke.
“Helios Guild will soon come to the Academy to investigate this incident personally.”
“I know.”
“Are you confident that you can reveal the truth?”
“You’ll know once you see it with your own eyes.”
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK—!
CREEEAK—!
After a light knock, a man entered the Headmaster’s office and respectfully greeted Choi Hyeon-seok.
“It’s been a while, Headmaster.”
“Oh! I never expected Helios Guild’s Seventh Elder to come in person. Hahaha—!”
Although Choi Hyeon-seok wore a smile, sweat ran down his forehead as he faced one of the Elders, the highest-ranking members of Helios Guild.
“Since this is an important matter, isn’t it only natural that one of the Elders would come? So, you are Baek Seon-woo?”
“That’s right.”
“Hmm... You really are Baek Seon-woo, then?”
After studying me from head to toe for a long time, the Elder of Helios Guild naturally took the seat Choi Hyeon-seok had prepared beforehand and spoke.
“You have evidence that can clear your false accusation?”
“That’s right. I also learned one secret about Helios Guild.”
“A secret?”
At the word secret, the Elder’s brow twitched slightly, as though something had been discovered. Ignoring his gaze, I handed him a small box.
“What is this? Isn’t this an ordinary recorder?”
“That’s right. It’s an ordinary item Hunters commonly use while exploring dungeons.”
“Why have you placed this before me?”
“Because all the truth is contained within it.”
“What?”
At my words that it contained all the truth, the Elder looked slightly tense. I smiled and spoke.
“Now, I’m going to clear my false accusation in earnest.”