Chapter 27: Heroes Always Arrive Late (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 27: Heroes Always Arrive Late (1)
Jin Gyeong-tae.
In the original novel, he was a thrill-killer who murdered about ten cadets under the guise of “lessons.”
Driven by a twisted longing for youth and a deep-seated hatred for adults, his criminal method involved forcing students into sacrifices and killing them. He would force them to compete, kill the losers, and take pleasure in watching them tear each other down in the name of failure.
Then, to the students who managed to survive that pathetic struggle until the end, he would grant them a “prize”—the “right to never become an adult”—and kill them.
Due to the nature of the venomous insects he primarily used, the state of his victims was truly gruesome.
Upon his capture, the man had claimed that the pain, sadness, and resentment were all part of youth, and since he would remember them forever, they would be happier than if they had become adults.
“There’s no need to hide it. That terror is the very symbol of youth.”
And right now, the villain before my eyes was undoubtedly the same son of a bitch described in the book.
And listen here, you bastard. I might be relying on items, but I’m not scared of you anymore.
Even when he tried to signal his monsters, they couldn’t get close. They were terrified of me—or more accurately, the Pest Repellent I was holding.
Normally, a repellent made from a low-tier green mana stone shouldn’t have much effect, but the moment I applied my Reinforcement ability, it began putting out more power than a mid-tier blue mana stone.
“You know, Cadet So-hyun. I can see you’re quite impressive, but what do you plan to do with that? Are you just going to hold out recklessly? Even if you called for reinforcements, using a consumable at that output will drain it in no time. Which do you think will be faster: the reinforcements arriving, or a cadet who lost his tool spending a ‘fun lesson’ with me?”
“That’s not for you to worry about.”
“I suppose so. I was just curious. Oh, for your information, I don’t know how you got in here, but this is a hidden room. The reinforcements will have a hard time finding it. The password has already been changed since you entered.”
“Is that so?”
Of course I knew that.
That’s why, while I was running here, I texted every single password that could grant access to his room to the others.
“Hmm, seeing as you’re unfazed, I suppose you’ve made some preparations. Well then, let’s see…”
Just as he was about to say something, the light from the Pest Repellent in my hand began to flicker and waver.
It seemed the device had overloaded because I was using it at an output its design couldn’t handle.
“Now, I was just about to say—shall we see what you plan to do once that light goes out?”
What was I going to do? It was obvious.
I scattered the numerous Pest Repellents I had brought with me onto the floor.
“When did I ever say I only brought one?”
“…I didn’t see that coming.”
What, you fucker? Did you think I was actually going to fight you directly?
Not a chance.
Actually, it was half a bluff.
My Reinforcement has a fatal weakness: it consumes Innate True Qi. Thanks to my hard work training my talents and traits, I had a bit more breathing room than before, but if I tried to enhance all these devices, I might as well be booking a one-way express tour to the afterlife.
But so what?
As long as he lacked information, all of them would look like already-enhanced repellents to him.
I had already called several reinforcements.
Since that guy was a Tamer-type, his own combat power was pathetic. If even one of the people I called arrived, it would be game over.
There were only two things I had to watch out for.
First, I couldn’t let him realize my Reinforcement was limited.
It goes without saying, but if he found out before even one reinforcement arrived, I was as good as dead. I was managing the Reinforcement carefully for now, but if he went on a full-scale offensive and forced me to maintain it, I wouldn’t last ten minutes.
Second, there was the setting intervention from the Creator—my “friend.”
There was no telling what that almighty prick might find annoying this time and try to screw me over with.
“Cadet Kang So-hyun.”
“What, Mr. Maniac?”
“Why are you interfering with me?”
“I knew you were crazy, but are you actually a total lunatic?”
“Ah, sorry. I phrased that poorly. To be precise, if you knew my plan, why did you come? It would have been safer to just pretend you didn’t know. Even if you didn’t ignore it, you could have just told another professor that I was planning something like this. Why come here yourself to stop me?”
“I didn’t fucking want to do this myself either, you know. But given your image, who would believe that the diligent and popular professor of the Academy is a raving lunatic unless there was a witness?”
I had bought the repellents just in case, but my original plan was to hang back behind Lilac and just block any setting interventions.
And while I was at it, I figured I’d help the terrified Kim Ga-eul and give her a bit of a character education.
“Aha, that’s true. Since the plan was only in my head, there’s no evidence until the incident actually happens, right?”
“Yeah. As expected of a criminal, you’re quick to understand crime.”
“And how does Cadet Kang So-hyun know the criminal mind so well? It’s quite suspicious.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“It’s because I’m on damn good terms with someone like the parents who brought you into this world, you bastard.”
It was the absolute truth, but the man seemed to take it as an insult. For the first time, the smile faded from his face.
“Whew, fine. Provocation is good. An agitated opponent loses focus and makes mistakes easily. Actually, many don’t know this, but the Academy has a class starting in the second year that professionally teaches trash talk—insults, basically. But Cadet Kang So-hyun, you won’t need it. Most criminals would have lunged at you by now.”
“I’m glad I’m not just ‘most criminals’ then.”
“…I really should get that class canceled. Why should growing children learn things like insults?”
“Really? Judging by your reaction right now, it seems pretty effective.”
“Cadet Kang So-hyun.”
“What, you criminal piece of shit.”
“…You’re not alone. You have many people to protect, so provoking me right now won’t do you any good. What on earth are you thinking?”
“Why wouldn’t it be good when it’s this safe? Isn’t it my win just by making you scowl?”
“Even if I am what I am, I still hold a professorship. Do you really think I can’t break through those pathetic repellents?”
He probably could. With my current level of Reinforcement, if he gave it his all, he could forcibly control the monsters to break through.
That was exactly what I was aiming for.
To create a perfect deadlock rather than this precarious balance, I needed to leave a powerful impact on his mind.
An overwhelming presence, just like Lilac or Cheon Yu-hak.
Of course, I didn’t actually have that kind of power.
However, I did have the ability to make him think and feel that I did.
Thanks to the Will of the Saint, my mind was clear and my tremors had subsided. There was no reason for me to fail at maintaining my poker face.
Arrogant like Cheon Yu-hak, and brimming with confidence like Lilac.
“Go ahead.”
“…Pardon?”
“If you’re confident you can break through, then try it.”
“I really misjudged you. I thought you were the cautious type who wouldn’t take risks.”
“You’re right. I am that type.”
“Then why are you acting so insolently right now?”
My voice was full of leisure, my attitude bold yet slow.
“Jin Gyeong-tae. Talent: C-rank Monster Taming. It’s a taming-related talent, but your limit was taming small animals or insect-type monsters. Your main strength was capturing and raising larvae or eggs.”
As I continued, the color began to drain from his face.
“Betrayed by the mentor you followed like a parent as a child, and later having your achievements stolen by a superior older than you during an operation… that’s when your hatred for adults began, and you transferred to become an Academy professor, right?”
“How do you know that…?”
“What, want me to say more? For instance, the reason you do this ‘education’ nonsense is simply because of your pathetic delusion that people become ruined once they become adults.”
“Shut that mouth.”
Yes, get agitated. Get worked up and come at me with everything you’ve got.
“Oh, and I also know you’re a sex-offender-in-waiting who can’t get excited unless it’s a student. Why? Are adult women scary? Do you think they’ll betray you?”
“I told you to shut up.”
“Oh, now you’re even swearing? So the polite speech was just a concept! Wow, I didn’t know that! Even I didn’t know everything!”
“I told you to shut up…!”
The monsters under his control charged at us by force.
The students who were tied up grumbled, asking why I was poking the bear, while most were busy screaming.
This was the moment.
I released the Innate True Qi I had been using like a dripping faucet. A vast torrent of energy poured out, and the light of Reinforcement elevated the level of a single Pest Repellent.
In an instant.
For the briefest moment the Reinforcement took effect, the repellent burned through all its mana and radiated it into the surroundings.
— SCREEEEEEECH!!!!!?
Several centipede monsters, experiencing a mana discharge on par with a high-level artifact, shrieked and died on the spot.
It hurt.
It hurt so much I felt like I was going to die.
Because I had used about half of my Innate True Qi at once—roughly a full person’s worth for a normal human—I felt like death, but I endured it and smiled.
I managed to force a smile onto my face, however awkward it might have been.
“Is that all?”
It was a bit embarrassing that everyone there, including the villain, was looking at me with expressions of pure shock, but now was the time to bluff.
His talent was only C-rank, but mine was A-rank.
As long as the output itself was different, there was no way I would lose in a single moment’s contest of power.
“What on earth… is this…”
If he caught me in pain, it was over.
I had to act relaxed until the very end.
“What do you think it is?”
I had to plant the image that I could do this easily, and give him the conviction that I could do it at least once or twice more to maintain the balance.
“I’m just showing you that you’re a scrub.”
Fortunately, shock and wariness filled his face, but honestly, I had used more than I intended. I didn’t think I could hold out much longer.
Lilac, you incompetent bastard, please get here fast…!
No, damn it, anyone! Just someone get here!
I’m gonna die…! I’m really gonna die…!
* * *
— Go ahead.
— If you’re confident you can break through, then try it.
He must be crazy.
That attitude, which could look arrogant depending on the person, was just like Cheon Yu-hak—overwhelming and reigning over the crowd.
In fact, the other people around him had tried to stop him, telling him not to provoke the villain for no reason, but he didn’t listen to a word of it.
— Why? Want me to say more?
The way he smiled and blabbed about the opponent’s secrets as if it were nothing, combined with the scenery of the classroom, was a bit terrifying, but there was a certain charisma that drew the eyes.
He’s really crazy.
When everyone else was screaming or closing their eyes to look away, she alone kept her eyes fixed on him.
The sight of him laughing wildly with a face full of confidence as he released his mana.
She saw it all clearly: the overwhelming pressure, similar to the mana discharges the combat professors sometimes showed, and the way the monsters that had terrified them so much collapsed.
— What on earth… is this…!
Facing the flustered villain, he stood there smiling and speaking calmly, as if merely stating facts. He wasn’t the “loser” who would play along with her jokes while telling her not to bother him.
— What do you think it is?
— I’m just showing you that you’re a scrub.
For some reason, her face felt hot.
She had always thought his face was decent enough if he just cleaned himself up, but now he looked even more handsome for no reason.
His red eyes, glowing with mana amidst his black hair, were more intense and sharper than when she had seen them during their duel.
Even the glint in his eyes, which seemed to carry a faint annoyance as if asking if this was all he had, was captivating.
He really is a total madman…!
Kim Ga-eul, who didn’t know the reality of Kang So-hyun’s situation, was just stomping her feet, wondering what to do about this side of him she had never seen before.
It wasn’t just Kim Ga-eul; the other students who saw him wipe out the monsters in an instant had similar reactions, though they weren’t as enthusiastic as her.
That was it.
To put it simply, although Kim Ga-eul herself wasn’t aware of it, while she liked “munchkin” stories like Cheon Yu-hak’s, she was also the type who loved the “loser hiding his power” trope.
The person in question felt like he was going to die from the pressure, but thanks to his brilliant poker face, no one noticed.