The Rigorous Path to Founding a Club

"Good morning. Did everyone get a good night's sleep yesterday?"

Ji Suhyun set down what looked like a roll book on the podium and glanced around the room.

The students chorused a lazy "Yes~," and she nodded with a bright smile.

"Glad to hear it. Well then, day one was about figuring out if any of you had the guts to stand up to me. Day two was checking what kind of fighting styles you all prefer. Though, one guy went down right at the start, so we couldn't check him."

At her words, every eye in the room turned to Jinwoo.

Suddenly the center of attention, he flushed with embarrassment and ducked his head.

Ji Suhyun ignored him and pressed on.

"And today makes day three. Your activity is basically an academy orientation. Let's see... Oh, we haven't picked a class rep yet. What a pain..."

As she muttered, she snapped her fingers. The stack of papers she'd brought with the roll book vanished, and identical booklets appeared on each of our desks.

"These have today's schedule, so check 'em out yourselves."

...Teleporting twelve objects of that size to precise spots all at once? It was insane sleight-of-hand that no one would bat an eye calling an acrobatic miracle, yet she did it just because it was "too much hassle."

Was this the power of the space mage once hailed as a genius?

I flipped open the booklet she'd sent my way. It featured a map of the academy interior, along with schedules broken down by period, complete with illustrations.

Four ninety-minute sessions in total. And as expected, periods one and two were club tours, just like in the game.

"Like it says there, periods one and two are for touring the academy's clubs. They'll be out in force recruiting freshmen by now, so go take a look. Some might even come in handy for your futures, so check 'em out carefully."

I glanced out the window at her words. Club promo booths were already popping up everywhere across campus.

It was buzzing already...

"Alright, we've got some time to kill... It's 8:40 now, so maybe we pick a class rep. Han Yujin?"

...Why'd she call my name with that ominous tone?

"Yes."

"You're it."

"Pardon?"

No way she was just dumping class rep on me like that.

"What, don't wanna?"

She smirked mockingly as she stared me down.

"You chicken?"

This crazy bitch. I let out a sigh.

"Shouldn't we at least take nominations? Someone else might want it."

"Huh? I just think you'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be good."

That was her reason? No way was I taking class rep—it'd wreck my plans. Time to turn it down.

"Sorry—"

"I'll do it."

Just as I opened my mouth to refuse, Kim Youngje in the front row shot his hand up.

"Oh? Alright, Kim Youngje. You wanna be class rep?"

"Yes. I'd like to nominate myself."

"Sure?"

She glanced my way as she said it.

I averted my eyes, staring out the window instead.

"Fine, whatever. He doesn't want it. Anyone else for class rep besides Kim Youngje?"

No hands this time.

Ji Suhyun pulled a notepad from her pocket and jotted something down.

"Class rep: Kim Youngje. Vice rep... Hmm, nominations for that too?"

"I'll do it."

"Huh?"

She gave me a puzzled look.

"Didn't you just say you didn't want class rep?"

"Vice rep's different."

"Ha, what a riot."

She glared at me sharply.

There were real reasons I went for vice rep instead.

First, unlike class rep, vice reps didn't have to tag along to every school event. For someone juggling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠organization business like me, that was a huge plus—class rep was a total no-go.

Second, vice reps ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could wield real class officer power without the event hassle, plus access exclusive rep-only meetings and events.

And third...

Ji Suhyun—

"Fine, vice rep's you. No one else seems interested... Oh, hey—class rep and vice rep, grab dinner with the homeroom instructor after classes? My treat."

—had a habit of giving her class's reps special treatment.

"That settles rep and vice rep... Rest up till the bell, then go club-hunting. HR's over."

She wrapped up and turned to leave.

I shot my hand up to stop her.

"Instructor."

"Yeah? What, vice rep? Picking dinner already?"

I ignored her weird jab and said what I meant to.

"...You didn't explain club founding."

Her face went blank at my question.

"What? Founding?"

Her body started trembling.

"Pfft. Heh!"

She doubled over, unable to hold it in, bursting into laughter.

"Pfft! Hahaha! Founding? Sure, you can found one! It's student rights and all. But it's hard. What, you wanna make one?"

I wanted to say yes right there, but no need ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to rush.

I played dumb casually. "Gotta hear the details first."

"Whoa, you really gonna? Yeah, makes sense if you know zilch. I get it."

She nodded to herself and headed back to the podium.

"Since our vice rep's so curious, I'll lay it out. How to found a club at the academy. It's not as tough as you think."

She pulled a piece of chalk to her hand with mana and started writing on the board. All eyes locked on it.

"That's the standard for most schools. Round up your buddies, done. Super simple. But this is Hero Academy. We train heroes, not students. So there's more steps."

She kept writing.

She dotted the gold one with a sharp tap! and grinned at us.

"Consent forms. Get them from club presidents of each rank, by hook or by crook. Muscle, money, connections—whatever it takes."

Yeah, that was the biggest hurdle.

"Clubs get academy support, right? Can't have talentless leeches sucking it dry. Hence the consents. But that's not all."

She wrote more.

"Clear that, and you're golden."

Another filter for junk clubs.

Three consents? Manageable, maybe. But the student council wall? That's what killed most club attempts here.

"Club founding? Go for it~ If you can storm senior clubs for consents and sway the council."

The classroom fell silent under her wicked grin.

"By the way, no first-years have succeeded in two years. They all failed the seniors' terms."

Kim Youngje raised his hand at that.

"Yes, what?"

"So, three years ago, there was a first-year who founded one?"

"Three years back? Yeah. Some crazy bastards."

She circled "student council" on the board.

"The current student council president founded a club as a first-year, hit diamond by second-year. Used that clout to run for prez with his cronies. And won, as you know. Man, academy was fun back then."

All true, from the academy route in the game.

"That answer your question, Cadet Kim Youngje?"

"...Yes. Thank you."

"Good. Anyone else? No?"

She checked for hands one last time, grabbed her roll book, and headed out.

"Cool. I'm out for real now?"

I stood and followed her into the hall.

"Instructor."

"Huh? Why're you tailing me, vice rep? More questions?"

"I want to found a club."

"...What? You deaf? Didn't hear my explanation?"

"I did."

"And you're still dead set on it? As a first-year freshman?"

"Yes."

"You know it's only been three days since enrollment?"

"I do."

"And you wanna found one now?"

"Yes."

Her lips curled up.

"So why tell me?"

"Be the advisor for my club."

"...What? You nuts? Why the hell would I?"

"I'll make your dream come true."

"My dream? You know what it is and think you can deliver?"

"Chaos. I'll bring unprecedented turmoil to this stagnant academy that's been quiet for two years."

"What?"

Last night.

Ji Suhyun's freshly updated info was gold for me right now.

The academy had stabilized under a few powerhouses these past few years. Fine, if you liked safe, quiet hero mills.

But not her. She didn't want average grads a notch above the rest.

She craved true heroes.

Heroes born of crisis.

Heroes who sparked hope just by existing.

Special, noble, true heroes.

To Ji Suhyun—who believed stomping endless three-leaf clovers birthed the four-leaf kind—my offer must've been irresistible candy.

Stir chaos in this peaceful, council-dominated academy?

That was her ideal academy.

And sure enough, she stared at me with utter delight, confirming my read.

"You've been planning this from the start, huh? Asking about clubs in class to plant seeds of doubt, then jumping for vice rep. All to set this up."

"...Busted?"

I smiled back at her.

"Think I'd miss it? The class question subtly screams 'you can't do it,' sparking freshman rebellion. Newbies always wanna prove 'em wrong when told to quit."

She met my eyes with a knowing grin.

"Damn, you're the real deal. Using me, no less? Hahaha! Just like that old man's son."

She laughed brightly, sauntering closer.

Her hand landed on my shoulder.

"Fine, I'll play along. You're growing on me. But conditions."

"Conditions...?"

"Yeah. Get me three founding consents by tomorrow. Do that, I'll advise. Hell, I might even swing council approval. Deal? If you're serious about founding, you can handle it."

Yep, this was Ji Suhyun alright.

The woman who thrived on bold challenges, grinning through every gauntlet.

The "crazy bitch" for a reason.

"Can't say no to that."

"Right?"

"Yes."

For real.