The Elder's Sudden Arrival
Wednesday lunchtime. Even though it was lunch break, the kids were slumped over their desks with cheeks pressed against the surface, staring blankly into space—completely unlike their usual energy.
"Sparring sucks...... So annoying......"
"Why can't we do club activities on sparring days...... One session drains all my energy, and I just don't wanna...... I wanna munch on snacks in the club room instead......"
Listening to the whining from the kids in front and beside me was driving me insane. I felt a bit conflicted myself, having one main story quest left while having to head off to sparring like this, but hearing their energy-sapped complaints made it even worse.
"Jinwoo. Where'd Youngje say he was going?"
"Youngje? He's got mentoring today, so he didn't come to school, probably. Dude's sucking up all the honey for himself......"
Sea-a perked up at Jinwoo's words and straightened her posture.
"M-mentoring? That's right! There's a mentoring class! I can just go to my mentor right now...... My mentor's Instructor Ji Suhyun!!"
Then she deflated again.
"God is dead......"
"No, God lives."
"Huh?"
Sea-a turned to look at me as I suddenly cut in.
Yeah. The bastard called "God" who sent me here—he couldn't have died before I get a chance to kill him later.
"Fine, assuming God lives...... Jinwoo, why didn't you go to your mentoring?"
"......Huh? Me?"
Jinwoo jolted upright at Sea-a suddenly calling him out, his body trembling.
"......I like sparring better."
"What?"
"Sparring at least doesn't leave scars. That crazy lady...... I'd rather just spar."
I couldn't even imagine what kind of mentoring sessions he must've had to end up like that.
"Uh...... Yujin? You've skipped every mentoring session this week, haven't you?"
I still hadn't heard back from Gwak Chunsik. The "1" next to the message had disappeared, so he'd definitely read it. Why no reply?
"The elder said he had something to think over and stopped taking calls."
"Ah...... Makes sense, there's gotta be a reason. Sigh, guess we're stuck going to sparring after all."
As Sea-a muttered that and started slumping back over her desk,
Han Yujin. Han Yujin student, please come to the academy faculty office.
Repeating once more. Han Yujin......
The broadcast calling my name suddenly echoed through the classroom.
"Boss. What trouble'd you stir up?"
"You think I know?"
"I ain't never caused trouble?!"
I ignored Jinwoo's outburst and stood from my seat. A summons to the faculty office—what could it be? Had something come up lately worth calling me for?
"Hmm......"
Too many loose ends to guess easily. Before I knew it, I'd arrived at the faculty office door.
I pushed it open and stepped inside, drawing all the instructors' gazes to me. Why were they staring like that?
......Huh? There was someone here I definitely shouldn't be seeing.
"......Elder?"
Why was this guy, who should still be in Gangwon Province, in the Seoul Hero Academy faculty office?
"Pupil. Long time no see."
Gwak Chunsik chuckled at my stunned face, like it was the funniest thing.
"What brings you here, Elder......?"
"Didn't you tell me to come? Took a while sorting and handling everything, but I just arrived."
So that's why no contact since that day—he'd been nonstop prepping?
"Plenty of eyes here, so shall we step out? Yunho. Mind if I borrow my pupil for a bit?"
He abruptly asked Park Yunho, the first-year student affairs head.
"Senior, this afternoon is the first-years' sparring—"
"Tsk—! Hey now!"
"......Senior."
No matter how firm and rigid the student affairs head was, his opponent was Gwak Chunsik—a living legend among heroes, practically a grand senior. Plus, Yunho had trained under him before...... Still, I'd never seen Park Yunho this flustered.
"You said three times a week off for mentoring, right? That covers it, no?"
"That's true, but there's no precedent for leaving mid-class—"
"Then make this the first one! Just say the senior wills it, and you go 'Yes, sir!' What's with the backtalk?!"
......Whoa. Boomer energy on another level.
But since it wasn't aimed at me? Felt kinda comfy.
Someone once said it: nothing beats the security of a boomer with power and age on your side. I was feeling it live.
"Back in the day, when seniors spoke, we just nodded! 'Yes, sir, if you say beans make the best meju, then beans it is!' Got it, kid?!"
"Ah...... Understood, Senior."
"What?"
"......You can take Cadet Han Yujin, Senior."
"See? Wasn't hard. Tsk tsk...... Let's go, pupil."
"Ah, yes."
Park Yunho could make that face? Him looking lost and troubled, while Ji Suhyun bit her lip behind him to stifle laughter. Total opposites.
I followed Gwak Chunsik out of the office and asked the elder striding ahead.
"Elder. Where are we headed?"
"My place."
"Your house?"
"What else, kid? Gotta catch up on everything that's happened. Plus...... some talk not fit for here."
The mood shifted abruptly. Sensing something ominous, I nodded.
"Then I know a good spot."
"Good spot?"
"Yes. No people, no sound leaking out."
"Hm, such a place exists? Lead on."
"Yes."
I guided the puzzled elder to the Familia Club Room.
The Familia sub-room was built from the start to grow my 'family.' Soundproofed from the design phase with runes. The club leader's office was even warded against magical eavesdropping—perfect for secrets.
"This...... the club building? Some empty room?"
Oh, right—I hadn't told the elder yet.
"My club room's here."
"Huh? Aren't you a first-year?"
"Yes, but."
"And you have a club...... Wait, your club?"
"Yes."
"You're the president?"
"Yes."
After hearing me out, the elder let out a disbelieving chuckle.
"Ha, knew you were sharp, but a newbie like you starting a club at the academy? Unbelievable."
"As you said, I'm a bit exceptional."
I even bowed respectfully to the elder, circling to the back of the building to activate the freight elevator.
"......Elevator too?"
"One of our club's pride points."
Card scan, down to the basement—and the Familia Club Room unfolded before us.
"To the club leader's office."
"What kinda club has an annex and showers? Fancy stuff. We don't even have that at the dojo......"
Gwak Chunsik grumbled but eyed everything curiously.
We settled in the club leader's office. I set tea and snacks before him and opened up.
"What exactly happened? No contact, no heads-up—how'd you get to Seoul so fast?"
Gwak Chunsik had dodged prison for killing a villain by retiring to a silver town. Political pressure should've kept him locked out. For smooth release, he'd need my help or outside pull—and this was too easy.
"Got lucky, that's all."
"......Luck?"
"Yeah. That space mage you nabbed recently—'Phantom' or whatever. Was mulling your story when prosecutors called. Asked if I was really that 'Phantom.'"
Wait, Phantom?
......Pieces falling into place.
Who knew saving Sea-a would loop back like this. Her clearance reignited Phantom interest, spotlighting me—the guy who caught him—and now the elder.
"They said 'Phantom' smuggled villains into Korea. Those escapees from the news. Getting the picture?"
"They offered you a judicial deal?"
"Bingo. Government secretly asked for my help investigating infiltrated villains."
"But why you specifically? Heroes from the Association and guilds galore could join—no need to pick you."
No reason to single out Gwak Chunsik.
But he grinned slyly.
"They offered bounty at first...... I asked if I looked broke or short on gear. So I countered—with exactly what you suggested last time."
That greased the wheels on what could've been politically shot down.
"Figured it'd work or I'd pivot, but approval came too easy. Wonder what changed with the bigwigs."
I had a hunch.
"Sounds like my father stepped in."
"Father? Your dad, Vito Calione?"
"Yes. Not certain, but."
Father had mentioned dining with the elder. He'd been interested since. With Calione's political ties, he'd likely heard and pulled strings.
'With Latte's situation too...... Having the old man on board bolsters our forces nicely.'
He wouldn't join Calione, but as a bulwark? Useful. Plus, distracts government eyes...... Win-win-win.
"Anyway, it worked out."
"Yeah, timing's perfect too."
"Timing......?"
"Association and government's shorthanded bad. Needing relics like me."
He pulled out his phone at my question, queuing a video.
"Government and Association called this morning. Said they need my help."
A short one-minute clip. Hit play—the black screen shook as the bar progressed.
"......This."
"You know the song too?"
Ring Around the Rosie. One of the foreign Mother Goose rhymes, tied closely to the Black Death that ravaged Europe.
And in my memories...... only one guy used it as an intro.
Villain name: Plague.
A walking bioweapon, storing plagues in his body and spreading them. In the game, he wiped out a small nation with his powers—one of the worst villains, top brass in the Villain Union.
And.
'The main villain of this terror episode.'
The creepy voice faded, screen wriggling as the message appeared.
Its meaning was clear.
"......A declaration of war on South Korea."
"Yeah, they sent this to the Association."
"Not publicizing it?"
"First time a top Villain Union exec issues a direct warning. They'd panic the public, so keeping it quiet for now."
......So it's following the original plot.
In the original, this secrecy led to massive civilian casualties. Named villains with unique traits struck from all angles: grudge-holders against government and heroes, ideologues choosing villainy, psychos thrilled by slaughtering the defenseless......
Terror, not just government targets.
My role was set.
"Elder. Can you send me this video file?"
"Huh? This? You, don't tell me......"
Gwak Chunsik's brow furrowed, shooting me a loaded look.
"Got some funny ideas brewing?"
Funny ideas? All for justice.
"I'll take responsibility...... No, Calione will."
I knew what was coming. Time to borrow the family's muscle.