Inspection of Belongings
My reason for initiating an inspection of their personal belongings was simple. Nothing revealed a student's true colors and capabilities quite like the items they carried on their person.
Of course, had they been ordinary students, this exercise would have amounted to little. But the youths gathered here were all aspiring heroes—and students of the International Hero Academy, the most prestigious institution in the world, no less. They were the elite of the elite, and each of them naturally possessed personal armaments or support gear. Examining those items would easily shed light on their combat styles, predispositions, and supernatural abilities.
If I'm going to do this, I might as well do it right.
I hadn't originally intended to linger at the Academy under the guise of Oh Ji-seok, but now that circumstances forced me to stay, I resolved to give it my all. Quite apart from keeping an eye on Ariel, it aligned perfectly with my overarching goal: the total extermination of every last kaijin. Paradise had mentioned it before—the Academy was one of the few institutions that had not entirely fallen into their hands. In fact, among the faculty whose combat prowess rivaled top-ranking heroes, those infested by parasites had been exceedingly rare. Even that handful had been thoroughly wiped out after Dominating Hands tore through the campus. In other words, this was the perfect second outpost for my campaign to eradicate them.
"Has everyone laid out their belongings?"
Time to take stock of the recruits who would be defending this outpost.
"What is this?"
"They're auxiliary leg boosters, sir. Designed to support my Concept of Elasticity..."
Several dozen minutes had passed since temporary professor Oh Ji-seok began his inspection.
He really is a good person...
Sitting quietly in the very back row, Ariel watched him, lost in thought. To examine every single student with such dedication and care.
At first glance, a sudden search like this seemed utterly pointless, but Ariel and the rest of the class soon understood the method behind it.
"The material and condition are both outstanding. You must be quite meticulous in your everyday life."
"Y-You flatter me, Professor!"
"That aside, looking at the built-in rechargeable booster, it seems you require an external power source to maneuver in midair. Is that correct?"
Ahead of the practical combat class scheduled immediately after this period, every student was already armed with their standard weapons and support gear. Oh Ji-seok examined each item they presented with keen scrutiny, his hand moving briskly as he filled a small notebook with dense, detailed observations.
"Y-Yes, sir... Since there's no way to utilize elasticity in midair without surfaces to bounce off of..."
"Have you ever considered bestowing elasticity upon the air itself?"
He even tossed out genuinely helpful advice from time to time.
"I-I never even thought of that. I've never tried it, nor did I ever think it was possible..."
"It could simply be a matter of perception. If your concept allows you to grant elasticity to anything you touch, there is no reason air should be an exception. Give it a try."
Thanks to those sharp insights, by the time he had made his way halfway across the room, the gaze with which the students viewed him had shifted noticeably. From an irresponsible quitter who had abandoned them, to an educator who genuinely possessed the passion to teach.
"And what is this?"
"This is... allowance money from my grandfather."
Before long, Oh Ji-seok arrived right before Ariel's desk.
"Why are you carrying around such an astronomical sum?"
"...Pardon?"
The girl seated right beside Ariel blinked in utter bewilderment at his question.
"I-Is this considered a lot of money?"
Catching the bizarre exchange, Ariel stole a glance to her side—and her jaw promptly dropped in shock.
...C-Crazy. Just how many zeroes are on that thing?!
A bank check lined with a dizzying row of zeroes lay casually atop the girl's desk. It was enough money to purchase at least ten thousand bowls of the cup ramen Ariel so desperately craved whenever her pockets were empty.
"Do you not have any weapons or auxiliary gear?"
"I haven't any, good sir... Er, that is to say, I do not."
"May I ask why?"
"They are currently being custom-forged at the manufacturing plant. They incorporate several patented, uncommercialized technologies, you see..."
The staggering scale of the conversation left Ariel gaping, cold sweat prickling at her neck.
Are all students at the International Hero Academy on this level?!
The thought crossed her mind for a fleeting second, but judging by the flabbergasted stares directed at her deskmate from all around the room, that evidently wasn't the case. Still, that brought her little comfort. Aside from the heiress next to her, she was still the only student in the entire class who possessed neither weapons nor support equipment. As a result, the only items she could display on her desk were a stack of textbooks and her sole luxury possession: a cheap smartphone.
"Next..."
Shrinking in embarrassment, Ariel kept her head buried low as Oh Ji-seok stepped up to her desk.
"Ugh..."
When he stopped before her seat and gazed down without a word, she lowered her eyes even further.
"........."
A heavy silence settled between them.
"Wonderful."
"...Excuse me?"
Swallowing nervously in the quiet, she tilted her head up at the unexpected word.
"Having a mentor to aspire toward is a truly admirable thing."
Oh Ji-seok picked up her smartphone and gently tapped the Justia sticker adhered to its back casing. "You admire Justia, don't you?"
"Ah... yes."
"I hold her in very high regard as well."
For some reason, the gaze in his eyes as he spoke carried a deep, sorrowful tinge.
"Cadet Ariel."
She had been staring blankly into that melancholy gaze when his voice snapped her back to reality.
"Become a great hero who surpasses Justia."
Whispering in a low, gentle voice, Oh Ji-seok offered her a faint smile and returned the phone.
"This is..."
Her eyes widened as she noticed a single cafeteria meal voucher for today tucked flutteringly behind the phone case.
"I hear today's lunch menu is tteokbokki."
"........."
Just as he said, spicy rice cakes were on the menu today. It was one of the dishes she and Justia had loved most.
"...Professor," Ariel murmured under her trembling breath, staring at his retreating back as he walked toward the front of the classroom. "Why... why are you being so kind to me?"
But her voice was far too quiet, and no answer came in return.
"P-Professor!"
Just as I completed the remaining half of the rounds and returned to the podium, a sweet, genial voice called out from the front row.
"I have a question!"
Having laid out all her personal belongings, Lumia was waving her hand with an affable, innocent smile.
Is she hiding something?
On the surface, nothing seemed amiss, yet an uneasy premonition prickled at my senses.
"What is your question?"
"I'd like to know more about you, Professor."
My initial impulse was to brush her off, but curious about whatever scheme she was cooking up, I decided to hear her out.
"Every professor at the Academy has proven credentials and an illustrious career. Not to mention, their faces are famous enough that everyone recognizes them on sight."
"Go on."
"Yet to be honest, we have no idea who you are, Professor Oh Ji-seok."
So, she was demanding an introduction.
"I imagine there are plenty of other students besides me who want to know who you are. Even if you're only a temporary professor."
Glancing back toward the rest of the class, I saw that the majority clearly agreed with her sentiment. Fair enough. Elite students wouldn't take kindly to receiving instruction from some unverified novice. A few were already eyeing me with open suspicion.
Quite a few sharp instincts among them.
I didn't mind the atmosphere. After all, the man standing before them was none other than Trauma, an A-Class Villain in disguise. Those capable of sensing something amiss and raising their guard were the ones with real promise. That didn't mean I intended to let the classroom devolve into open hostility, however. If I wanted them to fall in line with my curriculum, I needed to seize the upper hand from the start.
"My previous affiliation is with an agency whose personnel records and missions are classified."
As I spoke in a quiet, measured tone while scanning the room, several students visibly flinched.
"Put that way, I assume most of you can infer where I come from."
In this modern age of superherodom, heroes concealing their identities had largely become relics of the past. Yet even in such an era, there remained rare exceptions where one's identity could never be disclosed under any circumstance—specifically, when an operative belonged to the Secret Intelligence Bureau.
"Therefore, I ask for your understanding."
The Secret Intelligence Bureau was an extralegal entity whose true scale, personnel roster, and operational directives remained completely shrouded in secrecy. Consequently, it was surprisingly convenient to impersonate. Of course, just anyone couldn't pull off the lie; a reckless fraud would wake up staring at the ceiling of an interrogation black site the very next morning. It was an institution run by a minuscule echelon of elite talent, one that ordinary high-ranking heroes wouldn't dare dream of entering. There was a reason its field agents were granted unilateral authority for summary execution.
"Of course, I don't expect you to take my word on blind faith alone."
As silence blanketed the classroom in an instant, a faint smile crossed my lips.
"Just because my identity is classified doesn't mean my capabilities must remain hidden."
My eyes shifted coolly toward Lumia.
"Cadet Lumia, would you mind stepping forward?"
"...Excuse me?"
The top-ranking freshman admitted to the International Hero Academy. The second candidate in history to achieve a perfect score on the entrance exam after Justia. And the most celebrated prodigy of this year's class: Lumia.
"Would you care for a brief sparring match with me right now?"
If she was my opponent, the demonstration would be more than enough to silence any doubts.
"Here in the classroom?"
Lumia's eyes widened in genuine surprise. She clearly hadn't expected to be called out like this.
"We don't have enough time to relocate to the training grounds."
"Hmm..."
"You may use your abilities, and weapons are permitted."
Tilting her head slightly, Lumia studied me for a beat before letting a subtle smile tug at her lips.
"Very well." She rose smoothly from her seat. "I'll take you up on that."
It wasn't hard to guess the source of her brimming confidence. No doubt it stemmed from that mysterious ability of hers—the one that had prevented a single attack from ever landing on her.
This is an ideal opportunity.
An opportunity to dissect the nature of her power, and a prime chance to wipe that smirk off her face.
"Then..."
But before that, there was still one task left unfinished.
Rustle...
"...Ah?"
Closing the distance with smooth, deliberate steps, I reached directly inside her clothing without hesitation.
"P-Professor...?"
Flustered, Lumia grabbed my wrist in panic.
"I believe I explicitly instructed everyone to empty all of their personal belongings."
Whispering in a chillingly cold voice as the eyes of every student in the room snapped toward us, I narrowed my gaze.
"Just what are you hiding against your stomach, Cadet Lumia?"
Judging by how the blood instantly drained from her face, it seemed I had hooked quite the big catch.