Chapter 26
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Academy Features: Incidents Always Happen, Raids Occur, Defenses Frequently Breached
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Too peaceful.
It's about time for something to happen, but it's way too quiet.
"No, it's not like I'm waiting for something to blow up..."
Academy features.
Incidents always happen. We get raided. Defenses get breached all the time.
This academy is too thorough.
No incidents. Raids? None since Ja-an and I have been here, except for that hooded guy in the back alley. Defenses are solid too.
Have I just been living life marinated in the dopamine highs of fictional stories?
Logically, the academy training the nation's top talents wouldn't have sloppy security.
The villains aren't idiots. There's no reason for them to invade without prep or any gain.
"No, there is a gain."
If the faculty and students here took a hit, this city would definitely fall.
The circular wall built around what we know as Seoul, and the front lines beyond it.
Those walls and front lines are held by ability users.
Fewer academy graduates means more strain on everyone.
"But why?"
If the walls and front lines collapse, the damage hits the civilians.
What do they gain from killing citizens?
Is there any upside to destroying the academy?
Unless the villains are siding with the monsters instead of humans. Otherwise, it's a clear loss for humanity.
"The villains in the original game never even revealed their goals, did they?"
Blasting through chapter 1 and possessing me right away—still feels like a dick move.
I know nothing about the villains' goals or identities.
Just that they raided the academy and are hostile to us.
By process of elimination, the hooded guy from the back alley and the one who jabbed a syringe in my neck must be part of that group.
Brain freeze.
No matter how I think about it, no answers.
"Guess I'll find out while dying."
Even talking like this... no real death threats.
Dana's been weirdly quiet, the masked guy hasn't shown up again, and no way to get more drugs.
Practicals are just spars so far—no students can hit the front lines yet.
Right now, all I can do is score high on the upcoming group project.
Gradually hint to Irene Rock that I'm a regressor.
Then use those points for prizes.
Back alleys and front lines are efficient, but even the normal academy route overflows with item sources.
I just ignored them because they take time and effort.
"Ha..."
My head hurt, so I sighed.
Across the small table at the cafe, Han Ye-seo looked at me with eyes full of curiosity.
I glanced sideways, and Ja-an hurriedly averted his gaze.
Almost a month of sharing daily life like this.
Is this what friends are?
Maybe I can start treating myself like an extrovert instead of a total loner?
I go out every day, shower, brush my teeth, have two friends. We eat together often, grab coffee...
Compared to my past self, it's a huge leap.
"Something wrong?"
Han Ye-seo asked, trying to read my sigh.
"Nah, not really..."
"Really? Doesn't look like it."
"Too peaceful and quiet?"
"Daily life is supposed to be peaceful and quiet."
"Yeah?"
She tossed in one more line with a mischievous grin.
"Though daily life on the front lines means something a bit different!"
"...Ugh."
"Lighten up! Just kidding!"
Cheeky prank.
Who turns their tragic past into casual banter so easily?
How much mental energy did it take to wear that down to nothing?
I didn't even want to imagine.
Compared to her trauma of watching someone die right in front of her, mine felt feather-light.
Like it'd blow away in the wind.
That's why it embarrassed me.
My fragile mind looked even more pathetic next to theirs.
"Yeah?"
A voice came from behind.
I'd said my daily life was peaceful.
For a whole month.
The reason I called it daily life was because that voice had become part of it.
This time, it was my mother's voice.
Lately, her hallucinations showed up more than my father's.
She was usually kind.
Unless Dad came home drunk and hit her, then she'd take it out on me.
As long as Dad wasn't drunk, she was usually kind.
She just needed a proper outlet.
I get it.
She must've hated me for looking like Dad.
As I grew, his traces showed more in my face, body, even the smell.
Watching that up close in real time, she finally broke.
And vanished.
Or tried to.
Until Dad smashed her skull.
After that, Dad said it was my fault she died.
Told me to confess.
Said she tried to run because of me.
...She tried to run because you were about to bash her head with a bottle.
I couldn't say that one simple line to his face.
Lucky point: words flowed fine in front of the cops.
Dad went to prison, Mom to the crematorium.
Fitting ends for both.
Ja-an spoke up beside me.
"What're you thinking about?"
"...What my life would've been like with a family."
"Didn't expect that."
"Yeah?"
"You seem like the type who wouldn't care."
Ja-an nailed it.
I hated my so-called family, avoided thinking about them.
But with them talking in my head and appearing in my room, what could I do?
Ignoring has limits.
No worsening after a month means the drug's effects have peaked.
Wait till it's fully out of my system, and I win.
Whatever your goal was, you failed. I won.
Phew.
Deep breath.
"Son, talk to Mom."
Ignored it.
I headed back to the dorms with Ja-an and Han Ye-seo.
After Ja-an and Han Ye-seo went to their own places, I cautiously opened the dorm door.
Creeeak.
Thud.
—Bang!
I peeked inside, then slammed the door shut again.
Braced it with my body.
"...What the hell is that."
A hallucination?
No, definitely not. Feels real.
Hallucinations come with dreamlike fuzziness, auditory ones too.
Symptoms hit once a day max, never two figures at once.
Learned that from a month of suffering.
This is 100% sober.
So what's that shady shadow in my room?
Academy defenses breached again?
If so, the teleporting hooded guy?
Click.
Door handle turning.
I yanked the spear from my bag and took stance.
Thrust the second it opened.
Even if it's a teacher or staff, weird.
A teacher breaking into a student's dorm unannounced? No way.
Never did dorm life in college—do they do surprise checks?
But not dressed that suspiciously in black, right?
If they looked remotely like a teacher, I'd just ask why.
They look like a burglar, thug, criminal.
Creeeak.
Door opened.
I thrust the spear.
The intruder stopped it with one finger.
Tried to pull back, but their hand was faster.
Grabbed the shaft.
Yanked hard—nothing. Even two hands, no budge.
A middle-aged man's voice hit my ear.
"Calm down."
Not hostile.
"...Not a burglar? Not the masked guy? Not Dana?"
First time hearing it.
But oddly familiar.
—Congratulations on your admission to Heart Soul Academy.
"Principal?"
I dropped the spear from my hand.
Then yelled loud.
"Sorry!"
"No, uh... no need to shout like that..."
"No one who belongs in my room was around, so I overreacted."
"It's fine. Lots of eyes—let's go inside."
The principal handed me my spear.
I took it, shoved it in the bag.
The room looked oddly tidy.
Like it'd been cleaned.
The principal sat by the window, tossed a line at me.
Ripples spread across still water.
"How many times has it been now?"