Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Isn't This Basically Getting Scammed?
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Training camp, day two. Early morning.
Around the time when the kids from the other classes were starting to wake up and prepare for breakfast.
The students from Classes A and B were rolling around on the athletic field, completely caught up in the chaos.
"Gah...!"
That's right.
The hellish dodgeball training had begun again this morning.
Bam! Boom!!
With the sound of mortars exploding, the students tumbled across the ground, kicking up clouds of dirt.
Na Yeo-rin sat at the entrance of the container box, chin resting on her hand, gazing at the scene with a distant expression.
[What the heck are they doing!?]
If it had been just a little while ago, she might have rushed in screaming to save the kids.
But now, Na Yeo-rin's eyes only saw one person amid the playing children: Instructor Kim Cheol-su.
'Cheol-su... Your face is still blurry today.'
The fact that he was an S-Rank Thief hiding his identity with perception impairment was an open secret among the Class A students.
'When he gave me advice at the sashimi restaurant... He was so cool...'
What Kim Cheol-su had said back then was still unforgettable, even after two days.
Even more unforgettable was the glimpse of his face in that instant.
Was it because the buff was about to expire, or did his instructor passion break through his stealth skill for a moment?
Just for a split second.
Kim Cheol-su's face had been visible.
'Such a handsome face.'
But the Kim Cheol-su now wandering among the kids in his tracksuit had a blurry face.
Even if she focused intently, the memory faded the moment he turned his head.
Like the uncle from the neighborhood fruit shop on a first trip somewhere.
Like a passerby on the street.
She couldn't even properly recognize his features.
Na Yeo-rin had never experienced a stealth buff this advanced, even as a teacher who taught magic.
"I wonder if I'll get a chance to see his face if I become an S-Rank Hunter too."
Na Yeo-rin smacked her lips bitterly.
In truth, she had one hidden ability.
[Learn by Teaching (B)]
It was a growth-type trait that raised her rank and skill proficiency every time she taught and graduated a disciple.
The only one who knew about this ability at the military academy was the chairman.
Last year, when she graduated the B-Rank Awakeners, her own rank had jumped from C to B, leaving her stunned.
'Still, it's a pretty modest ability.'
Raising her rank did increase her mana capacity and physical abilities.
But Na Yeo-rin wasn't a combat-type Awakener to begin with.
All it really did was raise her education skill proficiency, letting her teach kids better.
Thanks to that, she'd been able to serve as an instructor for Class A, but that was it.
'I can use stealth dispel too, but...'
Na Yeo-rin sneaked glances at Kim Cheol-su, her mind wandering to naughty thoughts without realizing it.
Stealth dispel wouldn't work on him now, but if her rank kept rising, someday...
"Eek... What if he hates me for it... Huh?!"
Startled by a sudden presence, Na Yeo-rin flinched and hunched her shoulders.
Long, swaying straight hair. Designer sunglasses. And a model-like tall, slender figure.
A woman so stunning she made even another woman feel intimidated was looking down at her.
"Hello. Mind if I ask you something?"
"...Ah! Yes! Hello!"
Na Yeo-rin recognized her immediately.
Korea's 7th-ranked Hunter. Yoo Na-yeon, the S-Rank Hunter touted as the next star of Phoenix Guild.
"Our kids owe you so much from the field trip."
Na Yeo-rin bowed politely.
Considering Ha-eun's trauma had healed, she felt like kowtowing would be appropriate.
"No need for that. I did it because I wanted to."
Yoo Na-yeon was cool about it.
Even another woman could see how cool she was.
She rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses and asked casually.
"By the way... do you know where Instructor Lee Sang... Ahem. Kim Cheol-su is?"
"Ah...!"
Na Yeo-rin pointed straight to the center of the athletic field.
"He's over there, helping with the kids' training..."
It was a scene that might make a first-time onlooker think it was abuse, but the kids' happy faces made it clear Kim Cheol-su was more like a playmate.
"That blurry face annoys me every time I see it."
Yoo Na-yeon furrowed her brow, showing emotion for the first time.
"Why'd they ask that guy instead of me?"
"......Pardon?"
"Nothing."
Yoo Na-yeon strode toward the athletic field.
Confident steps. Overwhelming presence.
Na Yeo-rin watched Yoo Na-yeon's back as she headed to Kim Cheol-su, feeling an odd sense of deprivation.
'Maybe an S-Rank Awakener will enroll next year?'
Dodgeball was surprisingly popular among Awakeners.
Especially with students.
With just one ball, you could hit people and call it sportsmanship, letting kids legally vent their stress through violence.
"Guhk!"
"Kyaaah!"
Of course, it was different when I was the target.
Thud.
I casually caught the mana-infused ball with one hand.
"Whoa... He blocked that with one hand."
"I told you! He's definitely S-Rank...!"
"Why'd we chant for three minutes?"
The kids seemed a bit disappointed at first glance.
But really, they were just healthily blowing off steam.
An A-Rank Awakener was overwhelmingly strong by normal standards.
So there weren't many places to unleash their powers freely and relieve stress.
At best, testing skills in a reinforced gym.
But now was different.
A wall stood before them that even all their combined strength couldn't overcome.
The kids excitedly unleashed magic and unique skills left and right.
Thwack! Bam!
"Grahhh...! Thank you for the lesson!"
With Na Jin-il's elimination, the kids immediately huddled to plan their next strategy.
A spirited, satisfying sight.
"Let's call dodgeball here for today..."
As I reached for the rolling beach ball.
A white hand suddenly appeared and snatched my beach ball.
"Working hard, huh?"
I looked up at the familiar voice.
Yoo Na-yeon spun the beach ball on her fingertip with a grin.
Why did everything she did look so stylish?
Sunglasses and a light jacket couldn't hide her presence.
"Sang-hyuk. Teaching suits you perfectly, doesn't it?"
"I kinda feel that way myself."
Of course, only as a temporary instructor with guaranteed nap time.
If they pushed full-time paperwork on me, I'd bolt in 0.1 seconds.
Pfft.
Yoo Na-yeon chuckled in disbelief.
"I'm bored. Wanna play a round with me?"
As Yoo Na-yeon started infusing mana into the beach ball.
"Whoa!?"
"For real!?"
The kids swarmed over.
Like ants drawn to sugar water.
"It's Hunter Yoo Na-yeon!"
"No way! She was really at the camp?!"
"See? I told you my mom invited her!"
"Unnie! Thank you so much from last time!"
Lee Ha-eun rushed up first, hopping excitedly, followed by the sparkling-eyed kids from Classes A and B.
To Hunter aspirants, an S-Rank Hunter was a living legend and idol.
Not comparable to civilian fans.
To me, she was just the childhood friend who smacked my back for not studying.
Even though she hated studying too. Tch.
"Okay, okay. Kids, no pushing. Line up single file, and I'll take photos with everyone."
Yoo Na-yeon smoothly pushed her sunglasses up onto her head and started fan service.
'Her popularity's as strong as ever.'
I sat on the bench, watching Yoo Na-yeon with the kids fondly.
Her handling them meant I could rest, which was great.
I didn't even use magic well, yet so many asked about it.
Lately, I'd even crammed some studying to avoid the embarrassment of saying I didn't know.
"Thank you!"
Nearly 30 minutes later, the commotion died down.
Yoo Na-yeon walked over without a hint of fatigue and sat beside me.
"You're popular."
"Then drop your perception impairment and walk around."
"That's something to think about..."
Yoo Na-yeon pouted, disappointed in my response.
"Sang-hyuk. Shall we talk about work?"
"Work?"
Yoo Na-yeon's expression turned serious.
The kids were off playing dodgeball excitedly among themselves.
"I came to this military academy for the same reason as you."
What? You got 320 million won too?
"Remember the mobilization training incident?"
"Of course."
Without the White Tiger trio, I'd have forgotten that boring mobilization training entirely.
Now it was a fond memory etched in my heart.
"The gate appearing right when the White Tiger kids were training. We don't think it was coincidence."
"Targeting promising talents?"
"Probably."
If so, this situation was dangerous too.
The Imperial Military Academy gathered the nation's shining stars.
"We do thorough security education for the kids, so as long as there's no insider, it should be safe."
I glanced at the students.
Their innocent play now felt endearing.
"Dangerous enough to call in an S-Rank Hunter?"
"Not necessarily. But thanks to you, the public knows gate generators exist. So parents hired S-Rank Hunters like me as bodyguards for the camp."
"Damn. I thought it was easy money, but this doesn't add up at all."
At this point, the chairman had practically scammed me.
As long as the students don't get hurt, no touch.
That meant protect them from getting hurt.
"That fox of a chairman...!"
Slyer than even the Association Chairman.
"How much did you get paid?"
"That's a secret, man."
I clammed up.
I just wanted to believe Yoo Na-yeon, who only came for a day trip, didn't get paid more than me.
Maybe I need to officially become an S-Rank Hunter to raise my rates...?