Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: But I Didn't Get On?
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In the blink of an eye, the new semester had begun.
The warmth of spring settled in.
Birds chirped overhead,
and beneath the cherry blossoms, couples already smitten were whispering sweet nothings.
In stark contrast, Bihyeong's expression looked like he was on the verge of death.
Ridge Crossing Academy, the exorcist academy.
A place to train exorcists who hunt yokai.
'...Ah.'
Normally, taking the exorcist route required coming to Ridge Crossing—no exceptions.
It was so essential that if you failed to get in, the advice was to delete your character and start over.
But not for Bihyeong.
Half-demon.
A being that was half human, half yokai.
'If they find out, I'm dead!!'
Of course, yokai and anomalies were slightly different.
But would that excuse fly with exorcists?
Bihyeong was certain.
No matter what explanation he gave, they'd try to kill him.
'Even in the Solo Biography gallery, people who took the yokai route complained about it.'
Exorcists swarmed in packs.
Even if you hadn't killed a single person, they'd come at you with fire in their eyes.
'...To be fair, when I took the exorcist route, I hunted yokai too.'
They didn't appear often—no, maybe once every few dozen runs, extremely rare—but
when a yokai did show up, it triggered a quest-like event for exorcist route players.
Hunt it down.
Slay the evil that disrupts order.
'What do I do?'
As a half-demon, enrolling in the academy was a terrible move.
Yet Bihyeong was heading there anyway because refusing enrollment wasn't an option.
'The main story is already underway. That means my application has been submitted.'
Indeed, when the main story First Steps began, his phone buzzed with an acceptance letter from the academy.
The moment he received it, he knew there was no backing out.
'Refuse now?'
Then the Audit Division of the Korean Exorcist Association, which effectively ran the academy, would come knocking.
Why pass the exam and not enroll?
Do you have some ideological issue?
Are you an aspiring villain or what?
A barrage of interrogations disguised as questions would begin,
and getting exposed as a half-demon would only be a matter of time.
Players called the Audit Division "X-dogs"—the kind who could extract meaningful intel even from a headless corpse.
Once entangled with them, even if you hid your half-demon nature, living peacefully in this world was over.
'No. I probably couldn't even progress the main story.'
Thus, enrollment wasn't a choice—it was mandatory.
To avoid the worst outcome, he had to settle for the next worst.
Still, Bihyeong's steps felt a bit lighter thanks to his confidence as a veteran player.
'I know all the hidden pieces. That's a massive advantage.'
He still remembered them vividly.
The hidden pieces he'd found grinding 48-hour weekends, plus strategies from other veterans.
Above all,
'Even the fuzzy info got clarified in the dev's comments when service ended.'
To honor players who'd enjoyed their world and to highlight undiscovered secrets,
the devs had dropped a final info dump at the very end.
'I'll grow based on this.'
Acting as human as possible.
'...Wait, I am half human, right?'
No need to cower.
Time to go in bold.
"Wow..."
"He's so... tall..."
"That face... whoa..."
Right then, he felt admiring gasps and piercing stares turning his way.
Less than three seconds into his bold entrance, Bihyeong was already worried.
This wasn't even half-hearted resolve.
'Why are they staring?'
Did Bihyeong know?
That becoming a half-demon had sharpened his features and boosted his height, drawing all eyes.
Oblivious, he avoided eye contact as much as possible.
'They're all prospective Ridge Crossing students too.'
Talented kids from Korea or abroad.
What if one could read his info just by meeting eyes?
There was such an ability.
Divine Sight—piercing all within a thousand li, even for the blind.
'Lucky thing is, at least no Koreans have it.'
Still, no letting his guard down.
With that resolve, he stayed tense heading to the academy.
"Let go of me!"
"Come on, just swap numbers. Please? I'm asking nicely."
At the main gate, a guy harassing a girl—not quite a fight, more one-sided advances—caught his eye, with the woman caught up in it.
'Hm?'
As the woman arguing with the man frantically scanned around,
her face flashed into view.
Someone from Bihyeong's memory.
Not a heroine or hidden NPC, but he knew her future.
'She turns villain later.'
She'd enrolled to treat her sick mother, thanks to the association's full medical coverage for students' families.
'But she got bullied and weeded out naturally?'
She missed the orientation and thus the key "test."
Groups behind the scenes pushed her out, using the excuse they didn't want to risk their scores on an unproven newbie.
'Assignments, exams, even practicals—all fails.'
Soon after, she flunked out.
Flunked students lost welfare benefits proportionally, leaving her penniless and stuck with hospital bills.
To recover, she'd need grades to restore benefits, but
who'd take someone already labeled a flunkie?
And so,
'Her mom died.'
That turned her into a villain.
'The one who terrorizes the academy early on.'
Mid-boss of the early story.
'Beastly form, a total pain. Well, vets like me memorized patterns and cleared it easy.'
Hm. Nostalgia hit, bringing back glory days.
First mid-boss clear cheers.
Anticipation for rewards.
Audit Division handing out extras for villain intel...
'...Wait. Audit Division?'
Did I just think Audit Division!?
Memory check confirmed: they investigate the villain.
Obviously.
A villain at the academy? Audit inevitable.
'Damn it!'
Alarm bells rang.
To stop Audit Division, derail the story.
Save the girl.
Bihyeong hurried over.
"Hey!"
Calling out urgently, he grabbed her other arm.
"What are you doing here? I've been looking everywhere. Orientation's starting soon. Let's go!"
No acquaintance, but he tugged desperately.
The guy should back off thinking they're together...
"Hey. I was talking first."
Son of a—
Of all people, Golden Sun.
Tanned skin, bleached hair.
Shirt half-unbuttoned, flaunting accessories—textbook Golden Sun.
'Who's this extra? Not even in the game!'
Golden Sun trait: Once fixated, never quits.
The trope from countless media played out right now.
"If you've got business with her, take a number and wait. Nah, perfect timing. I was gonna grab one too. Let's get 'em together?"
Wild Golden Sun lunged for Bihyeong's shoulder.
But why?
'Why's he so slow?'
The fight instinct surged—blood boiling.
Everything around crawled in slow motion.
Half-demon blood rejected the filthy touch on his shoulder.
Crack!
Bihyeong's hand whipped out like lightning, clamping Golden Sun's wrist.
Caught off guard, Golden Sun yanked desperately, but
no chance. Against a half-demon.
Squeeze...!
The more he struggled, the deeper he sank—immovable grip.
Then, eyes locked with the guy in front.
Taller than his 180cm by a head.
Broad shoulders, muscles rippling under the uniform.
Above all, those emotionless eyes looking down.
"Enough."
His flat voice hit like a hammer.
"Hup..."
Like prey facing a predator, Golden Sun's legs buckled.
'Wh-what?'
He didn't know why.
Just that resisting more might get him killed.
Bihyeong glanced at the dazed Golden Sun staring up blankly, then turned.
"Let's go."
Short command, and he headed to the auditorium first.
The woman he'd rescued from Golden Sun stared blankly at his back.
'What was that? He... helped me?'
First time ever.
Receiving help from a stranger.
When her mom was sick, blood kin had turned away.
Just now, in trouble, others hurried past doing their own thing.
Maybe that's why?
The obvious rule—thank someone who helps—didn't even cross her mind.
'Name's... Sin Bihyeong.'
She recalled the name tag.
'Next time we meet, I'll thank him first!'
With that, she followed his path to the auditorium.
Orientation was about to start.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ He stood in the auditorium just a bit,
when something like a modern Earth principal's address began.
Thanks for applying, etc.
Honored to teach your bright futures, blah blah.
After thirty minutes of the balding man droning,
he stepped down, replaced by a sharp woman in a stylish suit.
"Ah, mic check. God, that guy yaps forever. What does he have to say?"
She started by roasting the previous speaker.
"Nice to meet you. One of Ridge Crossing's professors. Name? Next time we meet."
Tone dripping condescension, like questioning if they'd even survive to that point.
Yet no one protested.
The aura from the professor.
Otherwise known as Hierarchy Rank—the measure of superhuman strength.
Ridge Crossing professors needed at least Rank 6.
For reference, enrollees were barely Rank 1.
'Even Rank 6 can't read me.'
No need to fear.
"Now, let the academy's time-honored tradition begin. Do your best to pass the test."
Entrance test.
The annual ranking of new students, chief included.
And just like that,
one blink, and they were in an unfamiliar space.
"Subway Monster."
Bihyeong looked around.
Worn walls.
The path to the surface blocked.
A dim, flickering bulb overhead.
He stood alone in it.
"Strategy: board incoming trains, exit at designated stops in order, repeat."
No exorcism needed.
Academy-modified anomaly—just solve the escape perfectly and leave.
'Sigh. Feels more stable here than out there.'
After exorcist hordes, solitude was refreshing.
As Bihyeong smiled at the irony,
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The sound echoed in the abandoned subway station,
and the dim lights flashed red.
⚠️ ANNOUNCEMENT ⚠️ The train is entering… entering… arriving…… Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.
Train rumble grew louder on the tracks.
Screeeeech!
Old speakers wailed—a woman's scream.
'Time to board.'
Yet Bihyeong waited calmly for the approaching train.
'I see it.'
Even as a half-demon, his eyes pierced to the distant train cab.
The engineer was visible.
Mouth torn to the ears, flesh exposed; curved eyes nearly touching the upturned lips.
Shark teeth and drool—pure nightmare fuel.
Then it happened.
"......Huh?"
The drooling engineer froze mid-smirk,
eyes meeting Bihyeong's.
The creepy grin turned to horror.
And,
Whooooosh!
Blasting past at breakneck speed—beyond limits—wind tousling Bihyeong's bangs as it skipped his station.
"What the..."
Mister? But I didn't get on?