The Prodigy's Return

"Good morning~ Hmm? Boss, you look pretty rough."

Youngje, arriving at the academy with his usual smile, startles when he sees me.

"Ah, just had a bunch of stuff going on over the weekend."

Taking down Jeju's four major factions. Slaying the dragon. Liberating Jeju from the evil dragon. Strengthening my body...

Yeah, a lot had happened.

"You do look pretty wiped out right now. Hey, did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"About ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠communications being restored to Jeju. Apparently, someone took down Fafnir?"

Maybe because two-way communication was now possible with Jeju, which had been completely cut off until now. Word that Jeju had been liberated had already spread across the entire Korean Peninsula.

I immediately check the internet for articles related to Jeju.

Scanning through them, none mention me at all—just the other events from yesterday. Since the organization hadn't contacted me separately, it seemed the government hadn't figured out yet that we'd taken Fafnir.

Well, if Hallasan Cathedral or Cheongyacha members slipped up, it would be obvious... but knowing them, they'd keep it under wraps for a while.

"By the way, Boss. You were out of touch all weekend. Something up?"

"Huh? Oh, I went somewhere briefly and forgot my phone. What happened?"

Youngje shakes his head at my question.

"Nah, we were supposed to study together over the weekend, right? You were the only one I couldn't reach, so I got worried."

"Ah."

Nothing big, then. In that case—

"Boss! Boss! Look at this, Boss!"

At that moment, Jinwoo—who'd unusually come to school early—comes running over, yelling loudly.

"What about me?"

"This! It's you, Boss!"

Shouting that, he shows me the exact Jeju articles I'd just been skimming.

"Why are you talking nonsense? Why would I go to Jeju?"

It was obviously just a wild guess, so I reply indifferently.

Jinwoo tilts his head.

"Really? I thought for sure you'd stormed Jeju to prove you're the strongest on earth and lopped off Fafnir's head."

What the hell is the image of me in that guy's brain?

I'm not some mosquito aiming to be the world's strongest guy or whatever. And "lopped off Fafnir's head"...

Well, not wrong, but. The kid had a weirdly sharp intuition about the strangest things.

"Even I couldn't just take down a dragon, right? I just met one of Elder Gwak Chunsik's acquaintances and went to church."

"Church? Oh, right, you're Catholic, Boss. Too bad. I was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sure you'd become a dragon slayer."

"Wasn't me."

Finally convinced, Jinwoo sits down.

"Hey, Boss. What's that on your arm? Arm warmer?"

Then he spots the apricot-colored arm warmer on my arm and tilts his head again.

"It's not that cold. Do you usually wear those, Boss?"

"...Don't ask. Circumstances I can't talk about."

"Now I'm even more curious."

"I said don't ask, you punk."

"Got it."

Finally getting the hint, he quietly starts pulling books from his bag and stacking them on his desk.

Seeing the kids hauling around workbooks because of exams makes me smile without thinking.

Because...

The academy exams cover high school material.

Stuff I'd done years ago. So maintaining top ranks with just sparring should be easy.

"Hmm... Glasses. Can you explain this to me?"

"What?"

Jinwoo focused on his workbook, Youngje approaching after hearing the plea for help.

"...This. It's super easy."

"What?! What?! Our old man said no allowance if I don't rank high this time, so I have no choice!"

So that's why the kid ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was actually studying for once.

Curious what problem had him stumped, I glance at his workbook.

[x does this and z does that.]

Hmm...

Should I study too?

For some reason, even though I'd learned it, I couldn't make heads or tails of it.

Yeah, better to dominate sparring for an overwhelming first place.

But that meant beating Choi Yeon again...

"Huh?"

"What's up?"

While thinking that, the class suddenly buzzes.

Even Youngje and Jinwoo, buried in workbooks, stare entranced somewhere.

Wondering what's going on, I turn too.

"Huh?"

Now I got why the class vibe had shifted.

"...Was my seat here?"

Tattered uniform, patchy beard. Unkempt long hair, pitch-black tanned skin.

And an academy uniform about to burst at the seams.

"Cold."

Choi Kang-hyeon.

The guy who'd left for Busan for mentoring had returned.

Guessing why he'd come back from Busan to the academy wasn't hard.

Midterms.

No matter ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠how much he'd skipped for mentoring, everyone had to participate.

And his goal's definitely first in sparring.

With his poor written scores, sparring was his only way up.

"Good morning, everyone—huh? Choi Kang-hyeon? He's back?"

The tense class atmosphere eases with Sea-a's entrance.

She glances at him curiously, approaching us.

"That guy's back?"

Whispering behind her hand, she asks. Youngje nods.

"Yeah? He looks totally different."

As Youngje said, a lot had changed about him.

And the biggest change was the overwhelming mana radiating from him.

"...Beyond imagination?"

Trained long under some guy named Young Hoham? Unlike his first impression, his mana now flowed stably around him like a steady river.

Maybe time to harvest?

* * *

"You'll pass the review no problem. Should I congratulate you early?"

In the Familia club room. Yuri, now familiarly turning into a bat to visit, leans back on the sofa and sets a document envelope on the table.

"Here's the chairman and executives' attempts to sabotage you. But why ask for this compiled? We blocked it all anyway."

Checking the envelope she handed over, I shake my head.

"Still, they bared their teeth at me in the end. We prepared ahead, but if we'd slacked, we'd have been done. Revenge must be certain."

The contents were wildly varied.

"Truly despicable bastards."

Stuff anyone would say the student council would never do, densely packed.

"Thanks for the big help, senior."

"No biggie. I'm not thrilled with the chairman's moves either... So, you're about to become a Silver club. Any plans after?"

"Plans?"

I'd already prepared enough to fill a book.

Just waiting for the right time.

"Starting one by one after midterms."

"Ah, right. Midterms are killing me too. They're tailing me after school to find weaknesses?"

Made sense for a top 3rd-year like her.

I'd noticed way more stares on me today too.

"Relatable."

"You were top too, right? What'd you do?"

"Nothing."

"Huh?"

"Absolutely nothing."

Because the ring I'd gotten solved it quick.

The Ancient Berserker's Ring (True) still on my finger. Its fear effect on those around made stares fade.

Though minimal on stronger mana users or those with special items, like Yuri.

"Huh?"

Then Yuri startles, staring blankly at her smartphone.

"What is it?"

"Nah, chairman messaged an emergency meeting. Gotta go. See ya, junior?"

She flies off as a tiny bat, leaving me alone.

"Emergency meeting before midterms... from Ray?"

Maybe because of that?

Then a knock from outside.

-Eugene. Can I come in?

Familiar voice. Choi Yeon, who'd recently joined Familia.

"What's up?"

Opening the door reveals her blank expression.

"Ah. Hi."

"...Yeah, hi. Why the club room?"

"No reason. Not here on business."

"Huh? Then?"

"Hold on."

She reaches into a small pouch on her, rummaging.

"Ah. Found it."

A long something slides out.

"This. It's done."

What she holds out: a long sword blade gleaming nearly pure white.

"...This?"

"My new sword, made from what you gave me. Thought you should see it first... Wanna?"

Showing me her potential main weapon.

Confidence? Nah, knowing her, just casually.

"Sure. Why not."

If I wanted a fair fight, I'd decline... but pass up seeing a sword from a holy sword fragment?

Can't resist a new game-exclusive item.

Taking it, info pops up.

"Oh."

Holy sword stats through and through.

Most eye-catching: "ready to write new myths."

Meaning growth potential anytime.

"Nice blade."

Handing back the impressive sword, she nods.

"Yeah. Feels like a good one."

Already hugging it like a favorite toy.

"Get ready. No fluke like last midterm."

Remembering her sword breaking last time, she declares, staring at me.

"Of course. I wasn't slacking either."

Nodding, I glance at my right arm, shirt and arm warmer covering it.

The new narrative engraving I'd gained.

Recalling last night with Parnello, I smile faintly.