Ch 161
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 161
Grand Canyon.
It refers to the vast natural landscape that stretches from Arizona to parts of Utah.
Even in America, which has vast land and many things to see, it's famous enough to be counted among the best, to the extent that even I, who had never set foot on American soil in my previous life, knew about it.
The Grand Canyon of this world is even more special and famous than the Grand Canyon of my previous life.
If the Black Temple in Japan is the world's largest portal, then right in the center of the Grand Canyon South Rim lies the world's smallest portal, Hell's Gate.
It has quite a terrifying name attached to it, but initially there was no such name - however, not a single hunter who challenged the portal conquest returned alive, so the name was changed.
Fortunately, unlike regular portals where the safe zone gradually shrinks, the safe zone of this Hells Gate shrinks at a very slow rate.
When it was first discovered in the 1800s, it was about 50m, but now, over 200 years later, it's about 48m.
By simple calculation, there are still 4,800 years left until the safe zone disappears, but some scientists and portal experts have published research results stating that the possibility of the safe zone shrinking rapidly cannot be ruled out.
There are actually portals like that too.
Since it's strictly a portal located within the United States, initially only Americans could attempt to conquer it.
However, many American S-rank hunters challenged Hell's Gate and failed to return, so eventually America opened it up for any S-rank hunter in the world to challenge.
The prize money was even set at a whopping 10 billion dollars, so countless S-rank hunters from around the world challenged it, but the result was always the same.
Not a single hunter who challenged Hell's Gate conquest has ever returned alive.
There were even jokes that America, having lost many S-rank hunters, opened it up because they couldn't bear to suffer alone.
Even the Ten Stars, considered the world's strongest hunters, declared they wouldn't challenge it, and there had been no challengers at all in the past 10 years, so it was gradually disappearing from people's memories when I declared my challenge, drawing the attention of the entire world.
Even though I'm in America, I received an incredible number of contacts.
Reporters, Hunter Association directors and officials, government officials, students and fellow teachers, even the vice principal who had been indifferent to me.
Almost everyone who knew me contacted me to dissuade me.
But I have absolutely no intention of reversing this decision.
After long contemplation, I concluded that there's no other way to erase Kang Shin-hyeok from the world except for me to die.
Even after reaching that conclusion, I thought for quite a long time about how I should die.
S-rank hunters are no different from strategic weapons and don't die easily.
Of course, even S-rank hunters can't completely prevent aging and sometimes die natural deaths, but I'm too young to fake such a death.
Excluding natural death, there are only two ways for an S-rank hunter to die.
Being killed by another S-rank hunter who's determined to do so.
Dying during portal conquest.
The former is practically impossible, so the only answer was dying during portal conquest.
Of course, just any portal won't do.
If an S-rank hunter died conquering an A-grade portal, almost no one would believe it.
To begin with, except for cases like Hell's Gate, S-grade portals are conquered immediately upon discovery by mobilizing the relevant country's S-rank hunters.
In the case of small countries without S-rank hunters, they even ask other countries for help.
Unfortunately, Korea doesn't have any S-grade portals.
There might be some in other countries if you look, but since the rewards are proportional to the difficulty of conquest, there's a lot of competition.
Even S-rank hunters can't participate at will, so I chose Hell's Gate.
Of course, I have no intention of actually proceeding with the conquest.
I'll spend some time appropriately, then exit the portal and disappear using invisibility magic and warp magic - it'll be quick.
If I had companions, I couldn't use this method, but Hell's Gate is originally an S-grade solo portal.
Since there's no one to conquer it together with, it's the optimal place to spend some time and then disappear while pretending to be dead.
There's one more reason I chose Hell's Gate.
Even if I die, the things I've done so far have been quite significant, so my existence won't be completely forgotten by people.
There are less than two months left until Lee Ji-sung possesses his body.
Initially, Lee Ji-sung will be mentally confused from possessing someone, but when he hears my story, he'll naturally think I'm also a possessor.
That's why I chose Hell's Gate.
In the original work, Hell's Gate appears in the very late stages.
Right after the Demon King descends and displays tremendous might by sweeping away half of the Ten Stars.
Lee Ji-sung and Kim Do-hyun, who had always been together since their school days, exposing corruption in the Hunter Association and government, and taking down Antas together, completely split in their opinions at this time.
Just before the Demon King's descent, the two protagonists were taking the characters written on Hell's Gate to Luciel for interpretation to understand its true nature and decide who would conquer it.
Contrary to its name, Hell's Gate is heaven's arrangement in anticipation of the Demon King's otherworldly invasion.
The real name of Hell's Gate is 'Trial of Origin'.
Overcoming the trial grants you a holy relic called the 'Orb of Origin'.
As the name suggests, it's an overpowered item that grants any wish.
Lee Ji-sung argues that since they don't know how long the conquest will take, they should organize a suicide squad to face the Demon King head-on, even if it means accepting some casualties.
But Do-hyun claims that with just the Orb of Origin, they can win without any damage, and insists on challenging the Trial of Origin.
Eventually, unable to reach an agreement, Lee Ji-sung organizes his suicide squad while Kim Do-hyun challenges Hell's Gate.
Though both are protagonists, since the real protagonist is Lee Ji-sung rather than Do-hyun, Lee Ji-sung's choice is ultimately the correct one.
Lee Ji-sung organizes a suicide squad and defeats the Demon King to save the world, even without Kim Do-hyun.
Do-hyun, who challenged the Trial of Origin, also overcomes the trial, but it takes a little... No, quite a lot of time.
That guy Do-hyun only returns a full three years after Lee Ji-sung dealt with the Demon King and restored peace.
The scene where Lee Ji-sung teases him with giggles while Do-hyun feels deflated was truly a masterpiece.
However, in the epilogue part, that bastard Lee Ji-sung also ends up challenging the Trial of Origin.
He had touched this woman and his women so much that he could form a soccer team with his heroines, but since he wouldn't abandon any of them, fights constantly broke out between the heroines.
Tormented by this, Lee Ji-sung challenges the Trial of Origin, obtains the orb, and makes a wish that no matter how many girlfriends he dates, they'll all get along well and not fight.
Many readers jeered at him for using a wish that grants anything on such a trivial matter.
Anyway, what's important here is that the Trial of Origin isn't single-use.
If it's known that I died at Hell's Gate, even if Lee Ji-sung realizes I'm a possessor, he'll think I returned to the original world.
Lee Ji-sung also contemplates while thinking of the family members who appeared in the trial when he obtained the Orb of Origin.
Well, I absolutely have no intention of returning.
"Teacher?"
"Huh... What?"
"Aren't you getting out?"
Before I knew it, I could see the hotel where we're staying right in front of me.
I quickly paid and crossed the crosswalk with Se-jin.
"I called you several times... What are you thinking about?"
"Thinking about you."
"Wh... What's that supposed to mean. Really, you too..."
That girl Se-jin's face turns bright red and she walks ahead first.
My previous life wasn't particularly happy either.
Not just Se-jin, but Luciel and Master too... Abandoning a world where people who like me this much exist to go back would be a stupid thing to do.
I have no intention of challenging the Trial of Origin to begin with.
Although Lee Ji-sung overcame it in a relatively fast one year compared to Kim Do-hyun, I don't know how long it would take me.
When I disappear, there's a high possibility things will proceed according to the original work, but there will still be parts that don't change, so I need to step in occasionally to make corrections when those parts become problematic.
I need to prepare for that part too...
"Teacher, why are you standing still again? Aren't you going in?"
"I'm going, going. You walked ahead first."
I returned to the hotel with Se-jin.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"What? You're planning to follow me to Arizona?"
"You said I'd inherit all of your estate. Then I should do at least this much."
"Ahem, is that so?"
Kang Shin-hyeok is an orphan with no connections.
He has no children and isn't married, so when Kang Shin-hyeok dies, naturally my assets will revert to the state treasury.
I can't let the money I worked hard for benefit others.
Before coming to America, I had a lawyer draft a will stating that if I die, I'll leave all my assets to Se-jin.
Even with this, the inheritance tax is tremendous.
Since Se-jin isn't family but a stranger, there are no deductions.
Up to 5 billion, you pay 460 million, but adding this WH Toto winnings, my assets are roughly in the 300 billion range.
Even rough calculations show the country will take about 150 billion... They might not wield a knife, but they're no different from robbers.
I'm not joking - since the spousal deduction is quite large, I even thought about marrying Se-jin, but the spousal deduction is only 3 billion at most.
I can't make Se-jin a widow for a mere 3 billion.
I even thought about applying for immigration to a country that doesn't impose inheritance taxes, but I didn't follow through.
After all, to the public, Kang Shin-hyeok should appear to be challenging Hell's Gate out of overconfidence.
While inheriting assets could be passed off as being prepared for emergencies, changing nationality to avoid inheritance tax?
There's a high possibility it would appear as if I was expecting to fail.
Fortunately, after anonymously consulting various tax accountants, I received answers that if it's later revealed I'm alive, I can get it back with legal interest added.
I'm thinking of subtly resurrecting after the original story ends and the Demon King is properly dealt with.
Actually, donating my own money to the state is really wasteful, but the assets I've left to Se-jin alone should be enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life.
"They say people with money are even more so."
Se-jin is quite wealthy herself, not inferior to me.
After saying goodbye to see each other tomorrow, I returned to my room.
Since we decided to fly to Arizona tomorrow morning, I should wash up and sleep early.
Of course, I need to visit the portal.
Since both Se-jin and I are here, there's no one else to take care of Master and Luciel separately.
After washing up and changing clothes...
RING!
The phone I left on the table vibrates.
When I checked to see who it was, it was Teacher Kim.
I expected Teacher Kim to contact me.
Articles would have gone out not only in America and Korea but worldwide, so Teacher Kim would have heard too.
If even the indifferent vice principal contacted me, there's no way Teacher Kim wouldn't.
I quickly finished changing and pressed the call button.
"Yes. Teacher Kim... No, Seon-hwa, what's the matter?"
—What's the matter? Are you calling that a question right now? I came out of the research lab and my father contacted me, so I just found out, but what on earth...
"Ah... You're calling about Hell's Gate. You don't seem to have left the guild yet, but I told you, didn't I? That I won't be at school next year."
—You didn't say this is what you meant! It doesn't matter if Teacher Kang stays at school. I'll return to school, so please give up even now. Why on earth are you making such a challenge...
When we met in Sweden, she treated me quite coldly, but does she still have feelings?
Her words are full of worry.
"That's a bit difficult. My challenging Hell's Gate isn't because of you, Seon-hwa. It's something I've been thinking about for a long time."
—Why on earth... I heard all the students are against it too. Is such honor more precious than the students?
I was momentarily flustered that she would bring up the students, but I apologized and hung up.
Of course not.
The reason I thought of disappearing in the first place is because I can't take responsibility for all the students.