Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Shifting Fates
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After a tumultuous day, the morning of the group project dawned.
Bersha and I hurriedly gathered our weapons and armor and boarded the 110 bus as usual.
And then, I sensed something strange.
The Academy cadets were whispering and looking at me.
‘…Is it because of yesterday’s incident?’
Even Han-Na, despite sitting in the front, kept glancing back at me sitting in the very back with Bersha.
She had never done that before.
She’d always been absorbed in her own self-importance, gazing out the window.
‘If she’s going to stare, she might as well sit back here.’
And something about her gaze… it seemed darker, almost sinister. It was probably my imagination.
Her complexion was also quite pale, like a wilting rose.
‘She was always so haughty and arrogant until the middle of the story.’
With slumped shoulders and dark circles under her eyes, she looked strangely reminiscent of the pre-transmigration Han Tae-jin. I didn’t dwell on it, though.
The stares directed at me were a more pressing issue.
I could roughly guess the reason for the attention as we continued towards the Academy.
-Is he the one who beat up Choi Do-han?
-I heard he sent him flying across the training grounds with just a gut punch.
-Crazy, did he actually use dark magic?
-Who would have thought he could take down Choi Do-han in one hit?
-So, is Han Tae-jin the most promising student now?
…Somehow, overnight, the rumors had spiraled out of control, turning me into the cadet who’d single-handedly defeated the Academy's top prospect.
‘No, I’m definitely not at that level yet.’
Objectively, I was still no match for Choi Do-han.
Even with all the Hidden Pieces I’d collected, he was the protagonist of this world.
He was already as strong as a seasoned Hunter; there was no way I could have sent him flying across the training grounds with just a gut punch.
Besides, *I* hadn’t even done it.
But rumors, as always, inflated like balloons and floated away.
It made me feel awkward.
And then…
“The gazes directed at Master are filled with admiration. Are they envious? Well, I suppose they would be, with such a devastatingly beautiful security maid by his side. Hohoho.”
…Bersha stuck close to me, murmuring and looking at everyone as if declaring, “This person is my Master!” It only amplified my awkwardness.
“You’re too close, Renia.”
“Yes.”
Well, I didn’t particularly mind it.
Amidst the excessive attention, we arrived at the Academy. I began to check my equipment one last time in preparation for the afternoon’s group project, the [Dungeon Practical].
‘Status Window.’
[Status▼]
[Strength: 40 (+1)] [Agility: 62] [Magic Power: 32]
[Stamina: 60] [Luck: 61] [Endurance: 30]
First, my stats.
Thanks to Bersha's help and coaching, my stats had reached a respectable level.
Of course, I had also been diligently collecting Hidden Pieces.
Compared to seasoned Hunters, my stats were still paltry, but considering the stats I’d seen on my first day after transmigrating, this growth was practically a miracle.
Next, my passive traits.
[Passive Traits▼]
[Detection (Lv12) - Can detect and magnify distant targets up to 3km.]
[Tracking (Lv8) - If in possession of an item belonging to a specific target, can track their location within a 10km radius.]
[Stealth (Lv7) - Can move while completely concealing one's presence.]
[See-Through (Lv10) - Can see through walls up to 20cm thick. However, cannot see through living beings.]
[Frail (Lv3) - Has a weak constitution.]
[Limit Break (Lv10) - When mind and body surpass their limits, stats are enhanced.]
[Overheat Max (MAX) - Gains temporary transcendental power upon entering Overheat. However, receives a corresponding penalty when Overheat ends.]
Traits like Detection, Tracking, Stealth, and See-Through weren’t particularly useful outside of combat situations, so their levels remained mostly unchanged.
My Frail level, however, had significantly decreased to 3.
Conversely, my Limit Break trait was at level 10.
This was the result of grueling training.
And well, the Overheat Max trait hadn't been activated yet.
Below that were my special skill and the Hidden Information section, which weren’t relevant to the group project, so I closed the status window.
I wondered what kind of information the Hidden Information section contained since it was still unavailable.
‘Well, even the protagonist’s Hidden Information wasn't revealed until the Illusion terrorist attack.’
Choi Do-han’s Hidden Information was unveiled when he faced a near-death experience.
His Hidden Information was [Level Up as a Harem!].
In other words, he grew stronger as his harem grew.
And after that, his relationships with the main heroines progressed rapidly.
Anyway, the main objective of this group project was to explore a cleared dungeon and eliminate any remaining low-level monsters. With my current growth, I should be able to avoid dying.
‘It’s an F-rank dungeon, after all.’
Even though it was just an evaluation, my heart pounded with excitement.
This was my first dungeon exploration since transmigrating.
I was finally going to experience a real dungeon, something I’d only ever imagined.
It was a shame I couldn’t raid a boss yet, but even fighting low-level monsters was thrilling enough.
“Alright, everyone, you’ve all have thoroughly familiarized yourselves with your assigned dungeons, right?”
““Yes.””
“Good. As you all know, graduating classes proceed without observers, so be extra cautious about safety.”
““Yes!””
“Then, everyone, have a hearty lunch and gather at the training grounds when the fifth period bell rings.”
With Professor Ella's concluding remarks, lunch break began, and I headed to the cafeteria with Bersha.
But soon, I realized that the excessive attention wasn’t limited to the students.
“Tae-jin, Professor Park Na-yeon asked you to stop by her office after lunch.”
Professor Park Na-yeon.
She was in charge of the graduating class's specialized training once a week and was an S-rank Hunter in her active days.
She was also a monster known as the “All-Rounder.”
And, in the original story, she was the professor who took Choi Do-han as her personal disciple after the group project.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
*Tap, tap.*
Park Na-yeon tapped her fingers on her desk, her elbows resting on the armrests of her chair.
She had retired early at the age of 26 and received an offer from Korea’s top Hunter Academy.
An offer to become a full-time professor.
But she had refused.
She rejected a professorship at the Hunter National Academy, a position considered the ultimate retirement plan for active Hunters who constantly faced danger.
Becoming an advisor to a large guild or training rookie Hunters were also decent retirement options, but a full-time professorship at the Academy offered an incredible salary and a relatively low workload, making it a highly sought-after position.
However, she had a free spirit, even freelancing as a Hunter instead of joining a guild during her active days. After relentless persuasion from the Academy, she accepted a six-month contract as a visiting professor instead of a full-time position.
Moreover,
[You are free to schedule your lectures as you see fit. Even if they overlap with other classes, it doesn’t matter. I will personally coordinate it.]
She had been promised this incredible privilege.
That’s how influential an S-rank Hunter was.
And now, this influential Hunter had taken an interest in a certain cadet.
‘Han Tae-jin, such a peculiar child.’
She had reviewed all the training records from this semester. Just a few weeks ago, he had dull eyes, an empty head, and a frail body.
He went through the motions during training, lacking motivation and thought, and then suddenly, he transformed.
His eyes became sharp and focused, and his body grew sturdy as if he’d been taking steroids.
He’d gone from mindlessly drawing his bowstring to rapidly strategizing to maximize his training efficiency.
Above all…
‘His recovery after Overheat is too fast. It’s as if it fueled his growth.’
She had experienced Overheat herself during her active days.
It happened shortly after she became a full-fledged Hunter and participated in her first raid. The combination of fear and physical exhaustion triggered the Overheat phenomenon.
It took her a whole month to recover.
Although she mentally recovered in a few days, her physical recovery took a month.
And it took another month for her stats to return to normal.
Only those who had experienced it firsthand could understand.
But Han Tae-jin seemed not only to have fully recovered but also to have used Overheat as a stepping stone for growth.
‘I can’t understand it. It’s impossible.’
As someone who had experienced Overheat herself, she couldn’t comprehend it. That piqued her interest even more, and yesterday, she made up her mind.
She had originally planned to take Choi Do-han as her personal disciple.
The Supporter class suited her title of “All-Rounder.”
But yesterday, she changed her mind.
This rookie, Han Tae-jin, seemed much more interesting.
So, she called him in.
- *Knock, knock, knock.*
And when she met him, she found herself smiling for the first time in a while, a welcome break from her monotonous routine.
“Welcome, Cadet Han Tae-jin.”
“You called for me.”
“Would you like to sit down for a moment?”
“Yes.”
Tae-jin and Na-yeon sat on the sofa.
Bersha stood guard(?) outside the office.
Na-yeon crossed her long legs and said, “Surprised to be called in so suddenly?”
“No, it’s fine.”
“I hate beating around the bush, so I’ll get straight to the point.”
Tae-jin had already experienced Na-yeon’s direct style, so he simply nodded.
“Yes.”
“If you’re interested, would you become my first personal disciple?”
“Huh?”
Although he’d had an inkling, Tae-jin raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Since yesterday, the original plot had completely changed.
He had directly clashed with the protagonist, Choi Do-han, resulting in penalty points and community service, changes that didn't exist in the original story.
His transformation from a minor villain had become a typhoon, creating a new wind. Even though the changes to Choi Do-han seemed small now, they were bound to snowball into something significant later.
The playing field was being redrawn.
Na-yeon smiled seductively, looking at Tae-jin as if he were a delicious fruit.
“After teaching cadet trainees, I occasionally come across interesting students. At first, it was Cadet Choi Do-han, but as of yesterday, I’ve decided to take you as my personal disciple.”
“R-really?”
“I’m not one for jokes.”
While the concept of a personal disciple could cause controversy and accusations of favoritism, it was a common occurrence.
Becoming the personal disciple of an Academy professor was a tremendous honor and opportunity, serving as a strong motivator for cadets.
Therefore, the Academy allowed, if not encouraged, the practice.
Having a professor as a backer was a significant advantage, so any ambitious cadet would naturally strive for it.
In fact, Tae-jin had been offered a personal discipleship by Professor Perna Ella after his transmigration.
Becoming the disciple of an A-rank Hunter should have been a joyous occasion, but he had flatly refused.
At the time, he desperately wanted to avoid entanglement with the main heroines.
And it was generally understood that homeroom professors shouldn't take personal disciples to maintain fairness among students.
It wasn't a violation of the rules, but it was considered ethically questionable.
However, Ella, in her desperation, had made the offer and, unsurprisingly, been rejected.
Although Ella yet wasn't romantically involved with Choi Do-han in the original story, Tae-jin’s policy was to avoid any involvement with the main heroines. He had to minimize changes to the protagonist’s path.
But yesterday, it became clear that the cracks in the original plot were irreparable. He had decided to adapt accordingly.
“I understand. If you’ll accept me as your disciple, I’ll do my best.”
He bowed deeply.
To Professor Park Na-yeon.
“Hoho, I knew we’d get along. Here’s my personal number. Save it.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Pfft, don’t call me that. It’s embarrassing.”
“Yes.”
Tae-jin chuckled awkwardly and nodded.
And he thought: If the protagonist took a villainous path, could a villain become the protagonist instead?
If this choice led to a confrontation with Choi Do-han, he would gladly accept it.
Since the cracks in the original story had already begun, he had no choice but to become stronger than anyone else.
And Park Na-yeon was one of the strongest people in Korea.
Her offer was too good to refuse.
“…A personal disciple? It seems like only women are drawn to Master.”
“Pfft, are you jealous?”
“N-nonsense! I am the Queen of Succubi! Seducing a Master is child’s play for me!”
'Why don't you give it a try then?'
'What?! I-I have very high standards, you know!?'
Leaving the professor’s office, he headed towards the training grounds with a jealous Succubus Queen by his side.
His priority was to successfully complete the group project and achieve a high score.
The footage recorded by the bodycams and drones would be spread not only among the Academy but also to the major guilds.
“Group 4, you’re next.”
“Yes.”
After Group 3, it was our turn to board the special bus. Tae-jin, accompanied by an excited Bersha, headed towards the dungeon entrance.
His three nervous group members, Seo Yoon-ji, Yoo Soo-ah, and Baek Mi-jin, followed.
Group 4’s destination was an F-rank dungeon in Seocho District, Seoul.